HOYSALA ARCHITECTURE (Medieval temples of Southern Karnataka built during Hoysala rule)(2 Vols)

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About the Book:

This book provides a complete survey of the Hoysala temples that are still in existence. These sophisticated Hindu temples, always made of potstone, were built between 1100 and 1300 AD in the southern half of Karnataka, southern India. Today three of them, found in Belur, Halebid and Somanathapur, are very well-known. They are, however, only the tip of the iceberg, for more than a hundred Hoysala temples, large and small, have survived the ravages of time. In this book all important and elaborate ones are discussed, and also a large selection of the smaller and more simple ones. Altogether, some 90 temples are dealt with.

This is not the first time that a full-scale account of Hoysala temples has been given. An extensive appraisal of them can be found in the annual reports of the Archaeological Survey of Mysore, published between 1906 and 1946. The exemplary descriptions and illustrations given by them are, however, scattered over many separate volumes and, unfortunately, pay only limited attention to architectural design. This book nicely supplements the old Mysore Reports and specitectural features of the temples

All of the temples and architectural features discussed are illustrated by some 500 photographs. Architectural designs are also explained by more than 70 figures. Furthermore, all temple sites have been clearly indicated in 12 maps. Up until the present day, no other group of Indian temples has received so clear and concise an overview.

About the Author:

Gerard Foekema was born in 1943 and grew up in Haarlem, one of the old and historic cities of Holland, situated some 20 Kms from Amsterdam. He studied physics, philosophy and art-history at the University of Amsterdam and graduated in 1969. After a few years of earning his living as a teacher and as an editor, he obtained a position in the university administration and settled in Amsterdam, his beloved city, for good.

In the fields of the archaeology and art-history of India, Gerard Foekema is largely a self-educated man. He visited India for the first time in 1977, purely as a tourist, and fell in love with old Indian architecture, most notably the architecture found in Gujarat and Karnataka. He made his first trip for study purposes in 1979 and since then he has returned to Karnataka every two or three years. It is the Later Calcukya temples (1000-1200 AD) and the Hoysala temples (1100-1300 AD) that have especially excited him. He gave several series of lectures on them at the Institute of South Asian Archaeology of the University of Amsterdam. After a number of smaller articles published in Holland, this is his first full scale work on the subject.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Preface

Foreword by M.C. Joshi

Part one, general characterisation of Hoysala temples

1. The Dravida and Nagara temple styles
2. The Dravida aedicule
3. The Hoysala aedicule
4. The Dravida Vimana
5. The Hoysala Vimana
6. The sukanasi
7. The closed hall
8. The porch
9. The open hall
10. The composition of the temple

Part two, description and discussion of 92 temples

The way of describing the temples
The temples, alphabetically according to village names

Appendices

1. The Vesara temple style
2. The Somesvara-vimana in Lakshmesvar
3. Early full star vimanas
4. History of the study of Hoysala temples
5. Suggestions for tourists

   Literature

   Glossary

   Maps