Rameshwara Temple, Kalasi ,Sagara, Shimogga -Festoons

                                The pillars of navaranga of Rameshwara Temple, Kalasi are finely lathe polished. Each of the pillars contains a festoon of alternating leaves of Paalasha (muttugada) and Peepal trees. Each of these leaves contain finely decorated carvings.

                           Kalasi or Nadakalasi, was a town formed as a part of Banavasi, a Kadamba Capital. Later it was ruled by Kalyani Chalukyas and Hoysalas. It was a flourishing town during the reign of the Hoysalas and was regarded as the epitome of civilisation. The twin temples of Mallikarjuna and Rameshwara at Nadakalasi were built around 1218 AD by Baleyanna Pergade, the king of Kondanad. The twin temples facing north located side by side are sculpted in the non-ornate style of Hoysala architecture.

                            Rameshwara Temple, the smaller of the two, is locally known as Sadashiva Temple and has few unique features that are uncommon in Hoysala architecture. It has an oblong design, connecting the sanctum sanctorum directly to navaranga and is conspicuously absent of a mukhamantapa and sukanasi. The temple also has a narrow circumambulation path or the pradakshinapatha usually a component of southern and Dravidian temple. The sanctum sanctorum houses a Shivalinga. The linga of Rameswara is moderately bigger in size. The shikhara has the prominent Hoysala emblem sitting atop a resplendent Nataraja statue. 








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