Brahmeshvara Temple, Kikkeri Explained

Brahmeshvara Temple, Kikkeri
Religious Affiliation:Hinduism
Map Type:India Karnataka#India
Coordinates:12.7631°N 76.429°W
Location:Kikkeri, Mandya District, Karnataka, India
Deity:Shiva

The Brahmeshvara temple, also referred to as the Brahmeshwara or Brahmesvara temple, is a 12th-century Hindu temple with Hoysala architecture in Kikkeri village, Mandya district of Karnataka state, India. Along with two other major historic temples within the village, the Brahmeshvara temple is one of many major ruined temples with notable artwork in Kikkeri area close to the more famous monuments of Shravanabelagola.

Dedicated to Shiva, the temple is notable for its integration of all major traditions of Hinduism – Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism, along with Vedic deities. The east facing temple has several innovations in the Karnata-tradition of Hindu architecture, such as an ingenious mesa-makara-pattika, the bulging Navaranga mandapa, the sophisticated details in many statues and the classical Indian dance postures as sculpted inside the mandapa. On its outer walls are aedicules illustrating Hindu temple architecture from different parts of India – Nagara (north, west, east), Dravida (south), Vesara (Deccan), Bhumija (central, east) and composite forms. The carvings, state Dhaky and Meister, are of elaborate and high quality.

It was completed in 1171 AD by a woman named Bammave Nayakiti during the rule of Hoysala King Narasimha I. A significant portion of the artwork inside and outside temple is defaced, show signs of deliberate mutilation. Near the main temple, within the same complex is a Devi shrine with notable pilaster artwork. The Devi shrine was likely built a few decades later.

This temple is managed and protected by the Archaeology, Museums and Heritage department of the state of Karnataka (monument S-KA-543).[1]

Location

Kikkeri is a large village with small-town like developed infrastructure in Krishnarajapet taluk. It is between the cities of Mysuru and Hassan on State Highway 7, about southwest from Shravanabelagola which is known for its Digambara Jain monuments.[2] To the east of Kikkeri is a historic man-made reservoir, now called the Kikkeri lake. Along the bank of this lake are the historic ruins of three major Hindu temples (Malleswara temple, Brahmeshvara temple and Janardhana temple). The village is also home to a historic Narasimha Hindu temple (Vaishnavism, Vishnu avatar) that is of a later date and also beautifully sculpted, a Devi temple called Kikkeramma (Shaktism, Durga iconography), and a Basavana temple (Lingyatism). The Brahmesvara temple is located towards the east-northeast side of the village, few hundred feet north of the more mutilated, smaller and neglected Hoysala temple dedicated to Janardhana.

History

The authentic early history of Kikkeri before the 11th century is unknown.[2] A local oral tradition states that there once lived a tribal chief named Keeka, whose tribe was a source of complaints to the king by people of the Shravanabelagola region. He was arrested. When presented before the king, Keeka offered the king "vast treasures" in exchange for a village named after him, with a temple, water tank and a fort where they can all settle down. The king accepted his terms, and the village built came to be known as Kikkeri every since.[2] The temple Keeka asked for was the Malleswara temple, completed in late 11th to early 12th century. This was dedicated to Brahmesvara (Shiva). Over time, the foundations of the Malleswara temple became constantly water logged. So, in the 12th century a woman named Bammave Nayakiti built the more spectacular Brahmesvara temple, where the deity was re-consecrated.[2] A number of inscriptions have been discovered in this village and at the temples, but none authenticate this story. However, these inscriptions confirm that the Malleswara temple with a 16-pillar mandapa and a closed hall is the oldest temple in Kikkeri, and that it has been water logged.[3]

Inscriptions in the 11th century (saka 1017) mention gifts to Brahmesvara in Kikkeri by Hoysala kings who proclaim themselves to be from Yadava-kula and ruling over Ganga-mandala.[4]

The existence of several major historic temples in Kikkeri suggests it was an important prosperous town in pre-14th century Karnataka. This is further corroborated by many more major, intricately carved historic Hindu and Jain temples found within about 15 kilometers of Kikkeri, as well as the numerous inscriptions discovered in this region. Example pre-14th century temples and monuments include those found in Shravanabelagola, Govindanhalli, Hosaholalu and Sasalu.[5]

Architecture

The Brahmeshvara temple in within a compound along with a much smaller Devi shrine. It has one sanctum (ekakuta) and it faces east. Unlike other large Hoysala temples which stand on a jagati (platform), this temple is directly set on the ground. It has two entrances, facing each other, from north and south (see attached floor plan). On one side after these entrances is the Nandi-mandapa with Shiva's vahana. The other side enters into Navaranga mandapa (pilgrim's gathering hall), connecting to an antarala (ante-chamber, vestibule), followed by the Garbhagrihya (sanctum, cella). The architecture of each of these sections follow the square and circle principles of Hindu architecture.

VimanaThe vimana superstructure is tritala (three-storeyed). It is integrated with the sukhanasi above the antarala as a low protrusion of the tower over the shrine.[6] The temple has the largest amalaka in a Hoysala temple (called the "helmet") and whose shape usually follows that of the shrine (square or star shape); the kalasa on top of it (the decorative water-pot at the apex of the dome); and the Hoysala crest (emblem of the Hoysala warrior slaying a lion) over the sukhanasi.[7] [8] The Vimana is 22 feet wide.

The kapotabandha adhisthana of the vimana, state Dhaky and Meister, has an ingenious and elaborately carved mesa-makara-pattika. Above the kuta-stambhas and recesses show a remarkable display of major Hindu architectural styles celebrating temple styles found in different parts of India, namely Nagara, Dravida, Vesara, Bhumija and composite forms. The toranas too show variations as if the temple walls are depicting illustrations in a text book on architecture. In the niches of the Vimana, similarly, are reliefs from all major Hindu traditions. For example, there is Nataraja, Dakshinamurti and Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati) of Shaivism; then avatars of Vishnu and Krishna-lila of Vaishnavism; Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Chandi of Shaktism; Brahma, Surya, Chandra of Vedic pantheon; as well composites such as Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu). While numerous historic Hindu temples all over India include all three traditions, the Brahmesvara temple at Kikkeri is notable for its balance and details in the artwork. The talas above in the superstructure is relatively simpler. They are well executed, highly decorative and intact tower (shikhara).[9] [8] [10]

MandapaThe navaranga-mandapa bulges out of its base, giving the temple a convex shape. This fuses a 40-foot-wide gudha-type hall architecture with an rangamandapa-like opening in the front. The architect achieved this by innovatively omitting the upabhadras. The mandapa has four large Srikara-type pillars with putrika type brackets (5 of 16 are broken, others partly mutilated). These girls are elegantly shaped and are modeling South Indian classical dance postures, in a manner that reminds of the salabhanjikas in the Hindu temple at Belur.

The ceiling of the mandapa has nine panels. Eight show dikpalas (directional deities), while the central one show a samatala with nine planets in framed boxes – uncommon in temples of Karnataka. There is a smaller Nandi inside the navaranga-mandapa.

Inner artworkInside the main mandapa are niches with statues of Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism. These include:

Some niches are empty, some removed and gifted or sold to major museums of the world during the colonial era. The Keshava image in display at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art likely came from this temple.

Devi shrineCompleted a bit later than the main temple, in the early 13th century, the intricately cut wall pilasters in this small shrine are notable.
InscriptionsThe temple has fifteen inscriptions in different places (Sanskrit, Kannada), which helps date this temple and suggests the socio-political significance of this temple over 12th to 14th century. Some of these are partly or mostly damaged. The important surviving ones include:[11]

Nearby monuments

Within 5 to 15 kilometers of this temple are the following major sites:[13]

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Protected Monuments in Karnataka. Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India. Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts. 10 August 2012.
  2. Book: Village Survey Monographs: 12 Kikkeri Village. 1961 . K Balasubramanyam. Census of India. 1–6.
  3. Web site: Mandya District Tourism. National Informatics Center, Mandya. 2012-06-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20120521201725/http://www.mandya.nic.in/tourism.htm#Brahmeshwara%20Temple,%20Kikkeri. 2012-05-21. dead.
  4. B Lewis Rice (1898), Inscription 49 (1095 CE), Epigraphia Carnatica, Volume IV, Mysore Government Press, page 107
  5. Book: Village Survey Monographs: 12 Kikkeri Village. 1961 . K Balasubramanyam. Census of India. 4–6.
  6. Foekema (1996), p22
  7. Foekema (1996), p27
  8. Kamath (2001), p134
  9. Foekema (1996), p21, p27
  10. Foekema (1996), p28
  11. Saurabh Saxena (2014), Kikkeri – The cult of Brahmesvara, Puratattva, Indian History and Architecture
  12. B Lewis Rice (1898), Epigraphia Carnatica, Volume IV, Mysore Government Press, page 107
  13. B Lewis Rice (1898), Epigraphia Carnatica, Volume IV, Mysore Government Press, pages 37-38
  14. http://asibengalurucircle.in/panchalingeshvara-temple-govindanahalli Panchalingeshvara Temple, Govindanahalli

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