Hoysala Expedition Part 35: Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Nuggehalli

If you have to pick one temple where the sculptor extraordinaire Mallitamma has left his impression in an unforgettable manner, it must be at the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Nuggehalli. Quite literally too, as he has signed off most of the images on the outer walls with his name under them. He is accompanied in building this temple by another noted sculptor of those times, Baichoja, in finishing this extravagantly beautiful trikuta temple, a few meters away from the Bhumija style temple of Sadashiva. The main deity of the temple is Lakshmi Narasimha, and it also houses Venugopala and Keshava in the other two sanctums.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this temple is the clear indication you get about the 24 aspects of Vishnu through the artistic brilliance of Mallitamma. The forms, beginning with Keshava, Narayana, Madhava, Govinda, etc. are all depicting the 24 different permutations in which Vishnu can hold the disc, the conch, the club and the lotus among his four hands. Mallitamma has carved the names of each form and his own signature below almost every statue. Here's a video showning those 24 forms of Vishnu (from 2:20 to 4:20) and the other stunning images of this beautiful temple constructed in 1246 AD under the reign of Hoysala king Vira Someshwara:

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Nuggehalli from hmvprasanna on Vimeo.