Hariharesvara Temple, Harihar
The Temple Of Hariharesvara Is Located On The Right Bank Of The River Tungabhadra. It Is A Large Structure In Hoysala Style Of Architecture Built In 1224 Ad By Polalva, A General Of The Hoysala King Narasimha Ii. Many Inscriptions Speak Of The Endowments Given To This Temple By Thè Pandya Rulers Of Uchchangi As Well As The Rulers Of Vijayanagara. Built In A Spacious
Courtyard, The Temple On Plan Has An Indented Garbhagriha, An Antarala, A Navaranga Mahamandapa Followed By A Spacious Multi-pillared Sabhamandapa With Entrances In The North, South And East, All In East-west Orientation. The Northern Porch Has Been Extended And Converted Into An Antarala Of Another Subshrine. The Garbhagriha Has An Image Of Harihara, Resting On A Pitha. The Left Portion Of The Image Represents Vishnu With The Attributes Of Chakra And Sankha In The Hands And The Right Half Representing Siva Has The Attributes Trisula And Japamala. The Kirita Exhibits Both Vaishnava And Saiva Elements Of Karandamakuta And Jatamukuta. The Jatamukuta Has Crescent. The Sabhamandapa Is Indented With The Provision Of Raised Jagati With Kakshasana At Its Periphery Pierced By Two Lateral And Three Cardinal Entrances. In All There Are Fifty Six Circular Lathe-turned Pillars Supporting A Massive Heavy S-shaped Eaves. Abutting The Main Sanctum Towards The North West Is Another Shrine And To The North Is The Shrine Dedicated To Goddess Lakshmi. Built Into The Western Enclosure Wall Is Another Shrine Of Hariharesvara. The Prakara Has Two Entrances To The East And South.
