Lakshmi Narasimha Temple

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple

The temple in the picture is the rear portion of the LAKSHMI NARASIMHA TEMPLE, at NUGGEHALLI, which is approximately 20 kilometers from CHANNARAYAPATTANA in Hassan district of Karnataka. Nuggehalli, formerly known as VIJAYA SOMANATHAPURA has two HOYSALA STRUCTURES: the temple under study now and the SADASIVA TEMPLE. The LAKSHMI NARASIMHA TEMPLE was consecrated in SHALIVAHANA SHAKA 1168 (Paraabhava samvatsara, Chaitra Shukla Panchami, Wednesday) corresponding to A.D.1246. The temple under study is a three celled structure i.e., a TRIKOOTA housing KESHAVA (facing east) in the central Cell, VENUGOPALA (facing north) to the right of Keshava and LAKSHMI NARASIMHA (facing south) to the left of Keshava. Though the temple has three ARCHA IMAGES i.e, images that are worshipped it is referred to as LAKSHMI NARASIMHA TEMPLE. The temple stands on a platform called JAGATI (ಜಗತಿ) (in the picture you see a few people sitting on the JAGATI). The JAGATI follows the main plan of the temple and is therefore STAR SHAPED or in NAKSHATRAAKARA. The JAGATI acts as the circumambulatory path or PRADAKSHINA PATHA. One of the features of the HOYSALA TEMPLES is that the PRADAKSHINA PATHA is provided outside the temple.