Around the 10th to 14th century, in the heart of Karnataka, a dynasty was born that changed the landscape of southern India forever. The Hoysala kingdom that rose from the Malanad region was not just a political dynasty but also a cultural powerhouse. While in history it is known for its military conquests under kings like Ballala II and Vishnuvardhana, who extended their empire into the whole of Deccan, their most important conquests were not that of blood, but their temples. The soft wax stone that was unique to their empire allowed the artist to create delicate and precise structures, carving the monuments that became the face of India.
The Medium of Masterpieces: Chloritic Schist
The Chloristic Schist, also known as the soapstone, defined the Hoysala architecture, which made it different from Chalukyan sandstone structures and the granite structures of the Cholas, and allowed the artists to imagine beyond their imagination.
Unlike the hard granite, the soapstone offered the architects a unique paradox as it was soft and malleable but turned to a hard steel when exposed to the atmosphere. This quality allowed the Hoysala architects to be free with no constraints, like a brittle; they could carve intricate details like jewelry and nails onto the stone. Now the stone could be treated like ivory or sandalwood.
The material actually developed the Hoysala style of temple architecture. They were not about large gateways like the gopurams in southern-style temples. Instead, they were known for their intricacy. The focus was more on the minute details like the embroidery on the clothes and the jewellery of the dancers.
The Architectural Signature: Stars and Pillars
Although the Hoysala style is often seen as a mixture of both Dravida and Nagara style commonly called the Vesara style, historians suggest it is completely different from the two and is often termed as the Hoysala style.
The Stellate Plan
Sellate, also known as the star-shaped plan, is the most striking feature of the Hoysala architecture. Instead of a square garbhagriha like other traditional temples, the walls of shrines in the Hoysala were zig-zagged. It was not just about the aesthetic, but was also a unique way to make use of the maximum surface area, as a start shape allowed more space for sculptures to be carved. The zig-zag plan also allowed the sun to be captured uniquely, creating a dramatic play of shadows and light while highlighting the beauty of the temple.
The Jagati
The Hoysala temples were built on a raised platform called the Jagati, which also mimics the star shape of the temple. The two main purposes the platform was surviving was that it provided a path for pradakshina (circumbulation) and also elevated the deity, giving a sense of majesty to the structure. Unlike in the traditional temples, the devotees in Hoysala temples do pradakshina in the open air while tracing the star points, turning it into another kind of art adventure, which is much more interesting than the dark corridors.
Lathe-Turned Pillars
The lathe-turned pillars are another trademark of the Hoysala temples. Although it still remains a mystery how the engineers at that time created this artistic marvel. These stone columns were mounted on a lathe and rotated to get that circular finish, like something carved with a laser. The pillars are polished like a mirror reflecting the dim interiors with heavy bracket figures of madanikas strutting from the capital, defying gravity.
The three jewelled divine gallery
While Hoysalas built many temples, three of them stand as a crowned jewel, defining the architectural zenith of the Hoysala dynasty: Halebidu, Belur, and Somanathapura.
1. Chennakesava Temple
Patronized by King Vishnuvardhana in 1117 CE, the Chennakesava Temple was built to celebrate the Hoysala victory against the Cholas. It is one of the major temples that is still living, where worship has continued uninterrupted for nine centuries.
The temple is dedicated to lord Vishnu as Chennakesava (Beautiful Keshava). Although its interior is an explosion of art, the exterior walls are restrained compared to the later temples. The ceiling in the central hall features a pendant hanging from the center, making it a masterpiece of the structure. It is carved with such artistry that it resembles a chandelier of stone.
However, the best features of the temple are the Salabhanjikas or Madanikas. These are 42 celestial figures carved from soapstone depicting various moods, like one that wrings water from her hair with the droplets also being carved from stone, another is depicted admiring herself in the mirror, and another is seen plucking a thorn from her foot. The soapstone allowed the artist to carve the limbs of the figures delicately, which was not possible with granite.
2. Hoysaleshwara Temple
It is situated at a short distance from the Hoysala capital. Formerly called the Dwarasamudra, the Hoysaleswara temple was built in 1121 CE and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is a double shrine (dvikuta) and is called the apex of Hoysala architecture.
The walls of the temple speak the stories from Hindu mythology. The walls are not just for support, but are also akin to the pages of manuscripts. The outer walls are divided into horizontal bands in specific orders:
Elephants at the bottom showing stability and strength.
Lions above it show courage.
Floral scrolls above it are for decoration.
Horses above symbolize speed.
The mythology depiction is at the top.
Above all these panels is a large wall with images of Gods and Goddesses. The details are very precise, like the beautifully carved lace texture of the garments of the divinity, the expressions, and the beads on Shiva’s necklace.
Despite all this grandeur, the temple was left in ruins as the Hoysala capital was sacked twice by the Delhi sultanate in the early 14th century, which stopped its construction, leaving the masterpieces incomplete.
3. Kesava Temple
Kesava temple was built by General Somanatha under King Narasimha III in 1268 CE, showing the zenith of the Hoysala style. Unlike the Halebidu and Belur temples, the Somanathpura has three Vimanas, showing how the Hoysala temples are actually meant to look.
The temple is a triple shrine dedicated to three forms of Vishnu: Venugopala, Janardhana, and Keshava. The structure has perfect symmetry, although smaller than its predecessors, but very cohesive. The pedestal near the scluptures bear the name of the artists of the temple, which shows that the artists were recognized and celebrated geniuses of that time.
The socio-political structure of the Hoysala Kingdom
The development of art was not an accident but the result of a growing and stable empire. Although Hoysalas started as feudatories of the Chalukyas, they became a dominant power in the Deccan region.
This rise of the architect is attributed to King Vishnuvardhana. The alliance with Chalukyas and Cholas, along with military conquests, brought wealth to the kingdom, which was used in temple building and acted as a statement of victory and power for the kings.
Literature bloom
The period also saw the rise of new literati and poets like Harihara and Raghavanka under the Hoysalas. The shatpadi (six-line verse) in Kannada literature was popularized by Raghavanka, which made poetry accessible to the common masses. Another poet, Janna, popularized the Jain epics. This literary explosion went hand in hand with the architectural one. As the architects were carving details on stones, the poets were carving poems.
Conclusion
As the Hoysala dynasty approached the mid 14th century, its power started vanishing and became a part of history, but they left behind a legacy that became immortal. They changed the rough landscape of the Malnad region into a divine art gallery
The temples they built were not only for prayers and worship but also an epitome of art history and culture. Their work captured the jewelry, dance, and fashion of the 12th century and traced them into the walls of their temples. Contemporarily, when you visit their temples, you don’t see a building, but you see a civilization that for years valued art over anything else, so much so that they froze that beauty into their structures. The stones were carved in such a way by the artist like they were carving something as soft as wax, and the details on the structure became a bygone of the golden age.
References
A Complete Guide to Hoysaḷa Temples, by Gerard Foekema, Abhinav Publications, 1996. Accessed 20 January 2026.
Architecture Decorated with Architecture: Later Medieval Temples of Karnātaka, 1000-1300 AD, by Gerard Foekema, Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 2003. Accessed 20 January 2026.
Githa, U.B. “Hoyasala architecture in Somanathapura.” web.archive.org, Hoyasala architecture in Somanathapura.
“Hoysala Dynasty: Art, Architecture And Cultural Renaissance (10th-14th Centuries).” PWOnlyIAS, 14 May 2024, https://pwonlyias.com/udaan/hoysala-dynasty-art-architecture-cultural/. Accessed 20 January 2026.