Basaralu village is located in

Mandya Mandya is a city in the state of Karnataka. It is the headquarter of Mandya district and is located from Mysore and from Bangalore. Sugar factories contribute to the major economic output. It is also called Sugar city (which in Kannada mean ...

district,

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. It is home to the Mallikarjuna temple, an ornate example of

Hoysala architecture Hoysala architecture is the building style in Hindu temple architecture developed under the rule of the Hoysala Empire between the 11th and 14th centuries, in the region known today as Karnataka, a state of India. Hoysala influence was at its pe ...

, and is dedicated to Mallikarjuna, another name for the Hindu god Shiva. This temple was built in 1234 by Harihara Nayaka, a commander under the Hoysala King Vira Narasimha II.

Temple Complex

Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu, Karnataka state

The temple complex comprises two shrines dedicated to the deities Mallikarjuna and Chandikeshwara. The Mallikarjuna shrine houses a Balahari "

linga A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional ...

" and beautiful lotus carving on the ceiling. There is a

Bhairava Bhairava (Sanskrit: भैरव ) or Kala Bhairava is a Shaivite and Vajrayāna deity worshiped by Hindus and Buddhists. In Shaivism, he is a powerful manifestation, or avatar, of Shiva associated with annihilation. In Trika system ''Bhaira ...

sculpture in the sanctum ("garbhagriha") of Chandikeshwara temple in a corner of the temple complex. There is a twenty feet tall pillar opposite to the temple. The base of the temple has mouldings with relief in the ascending order of elephants, horses with riders, Hoysala emblem,

puranic Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...

episodes, crocodiles and swans, a theme that is common in most Hoysala temples.http://teamgsquare.blogspot.com/2010/10/basaralu.html

Gallery

Basaralu Mallikarjuna Temple.jpg, Basaralu Mallikarjuna Temple Artwork on the outer wall of Basaralu temple.jpg, Artwork on the outer wall of Basaralu temple Lakshmi Narasimha - Basaralu.jpg, Lakshmi Narasimha - Basaralu Sculpture at Basaralu.jpg, Sculpture on the outer wall of Basaralu temple Flora in the campus of Basaralu temple.jpg, Basaralu Mallikarjuna temple garden Sculpture on Basaralu temple wall - 1.jpg, Sculpture on the outer wall of the temple Sculpture on Basaralu temple wall - 2.jpg, Sculpture on the outer wall of the temple Sculpture on Basaralu temple wall - 3.jpg, Sculpture on the outer wall of the temple Sculpture on Basaralu temple wall - 4.jpg, Sculpture on the outer wall of the temple

References

{{Historical Places in Karnataka Cities and towns in Mandya district Archaeological sites in Karnataka