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1235 AD Someshwara Temple at Haranahalli, Arsikere – Karnataka

Main Entrance. 2One of the three entrances.Hoysala King, Vira Someshwara built this famous and fablous Lord Shiva Temple at Haranahalli in the year 1235. Haranahalli was also known as Haruvanahalli or Hirya Somanathapura. Arsikere gets it’s name from two words ‘Arsi’ meaning ‘Queen’ and ‘Kere’ meaning the ‘Lake’!
This Temple is less decorative than other built Hoysala Temples! 3 brothers from this region Peddanna Heggade, Somanna and Keshavanna undertook the task of building this Shiva temple on the free land and support provided by the ruling Hoysala King, Vira Someshwara. The best known sculptor of the 13th Century, Mallithamma built and sculpted this stone Temple. He also built the other Channakesava Temple at Haranahalli. Mallithamma also built the other Hoysala Temples in the region at Nuggenhalli, Hosaholalu and Somnathpur too! All in Karnataka.
The Someshwara Temple at Haranahalli is a unique slate stone sculpted temple with a lot of Hindu mythology idols and god’s, one can find about 140 Images when one looks at the temple from outside. This Temple is a one shell temple with three entrances. It has a star shaped garbagruha – sanctum! The whole temple is built on a raised platform. At the center of the inner temple premises is a bell shaped ranga mantap – a performance stage for temple cultural performances. The Temple tower’s conical structure has a ‘kalash’ or the ritualistic auspicious ‘pot of wealth’ at it’s apex point. Nandi – the bull occupies the entrance roof of the temple. The temple has beautiful sculpted, carved idols of various avatars of Hindu Gods – Lord Shiva with 6 heads, Dancing Ganesha, 3 headed Lord Bhrama, 8 headed Godess Saraswati, Godess Lakshmi and Parvati. Representation to beautiful objects of nature like flowers, plants, creepers, flowers are intertwined in empty places as fillers. Majestic horses, elephants and mythical animals find a place here too! In all it’s an artists master piece on display asthetic to the human eye.
Lord Shiva here is Someshwara and the customary Nandi – the bull occupies the central place in front of the Linga, a little further ahead of the rangamantap. It’s mesmerising to see so much art, architecture, sculpture displayed in one edifice.
Haranahalli is about 200 Kms from Bangalore and is well connected by Road and Rail. Nearest town to this village is Arsikere – 10 Kms away. Carrying your own picnic basket a hamper of goodies is advisable. Cash plz, digital India is yet to reach this corner of India. Highway hotels are your eating places. Roads are confusing better ask directions. . . the friendly local people are very helpful. Kannada please, broken one too is respected.
Visiting the two Temples at Haranahalli, one the – Channakesava Temple and the other – Someshwara Temple will take two hours. The temple’s are 500 mts apart admist village houses. This sector has a lot of heritage sites one can visit. It may take a week for you to complete the entire region.
-Jagdeesh Laxman Singh
aka Jugie Singh
Text & Photography

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