Chennakeshava temple

Chennakeshava Temple, Belur
The entrance gopuram and courtyard of Chennakeshava temple at Belur
Location in Karnataka Show map of India Location in Karnataka Show map of Karnataka
Geography
Coordinates	13°09′47″N 75°51′38″E / 13.162930°N 75.860593°E / 13.162930; 75.860593Coordinates: 13°09′47″N 75°51′38″E / 13.162930°N 75.860593°E / 13.162930; 75.860593
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Hassan
Locale	Belur
Location	Karnataka, India
Culture
Sanctum	Chennakeshava (Vishnu)
Architecture
Architectural styles	Hoysala
History and governance
Date built	12th-century
Creator	Hoysala Vishnuvardhana
Website	Sri Chennakeshava Temple

Temples and monuments of Chennakeshava complex

Eastern gopuram Kesava temple View from center-southwest Temples in the west end Andal temple Water tank inside the complex The Chennakeshava temple includes a number of smaller shrines and monuments.

The Chennakeshava Temple, also referred to as Keshava, Kesava or Vijayanarayana Temple of Belur, is a 12th-century Hindu temple in the Hassan district of Karnataka state, India. It was commissioned by King Vishnuvardhana in 1117 CE, on the banks of the Yagachi River in Belur also called Velapura, an early Hoysala Empire capital. The temple was built over three generations and took 103 years to finish. It was repeatedly damaged and plundered during wars, repeatedly rebuilt and repaired over its history. It is 35 km from Hassan city and about 200 km from Bengaluru.

Chennakesava (lit, "handsome Kesava") is a form of the Hindu god Vishnu. The temple is dedicated to Vishnu and has been an active Hindu temple since its founding. It is reverentially described in medieval Hindu texts, and remains an important pilgrimage site in Vaishnavism. The temple is remarkable for its architecture, sculptures, reliefs, friezes as well its iconography, inscriptions and history. The temple artwork depicts scenes of secular life in the 12th century, dancers and musicians, as well as a pictorial narration of Hindu texts such as the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas through numerous friezes. It is a Vaishnava temple that reverentially includes many themes from Shaivism and Shaktism, as well as images of a Jina from Jainism and the Buddha from Buddhism. The Chennakeshava temple is a testimony to the artistic, cultural and theological perspectives in 12th century South India and the Hoysala Empire rule.

The temple complex along with the nearby Hindu and Jain Temples at Halebidu have been proposed to be listed under UNESCO World Heritage Sites.