About 10 kilometers from the city of Hassan on the way towards Holenarasipur is the village of Mosale - one half of the twin villages of Mosale and Hosahalli. Mosale houses two of the most stunning Hoysala architectural beauties that very few people are aware of. Known as the twin temple complex of Nageshwara and Channakeshava, both the temples have their own individual brilliance to exude, while being remarkably similar to each other to the extent that one would feel they are mirror images of each other.
Focus of this blog post is the Channakeshava Temple, built in 1200 AD by Emperor Veera Ballala II. The temple is a clear indication of the beginning of the golden era of the Mallitamma school of handsome and intricate carvings on the outer walls, while the Bhuvaneshwaris on the inner ceilings continue to take your breath away. The huge stone Kalasas are a real specialty too.
I happened to visit the place around dusk, and the setting sun gave it a beauty that can only be experienced in person. No words or photographs can do justice. This brought memories of the well researched novel of K. V. Iyer, "Shantala", where he says in the foreword that his inspiration to write that novel came about when he saw the beauty of the Belur Channakeshava Temple during sunset. The Hoysala architecture can surely bring that effect on you, especially in solitude.
Here's a video of the Channakeshava Temple at Mosale:
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