THE LAKSHMINARAYANA TEMPLE AT HOSAHOLALU

The Lakshminarayana temple is located in Hosaholalu, a small town in Krishnarajapet taluk in Mandya district of Karnataka, India. This temple was built by King Vira Someshwara of the Hoysala Empire in around 1250 A.D. This village was a prosperous agrahara during the days of the Hoysalas with Shaiva, Vaishnava and Jainas temples and monasteries. The earlier name of this agrahara was Rayasamudra. Its original name was Hosavolalu.¹ Though the Shaiva and the Jaina monuments in the vicinity are in ruined condition, this Lakshminarayana temple is still intact and attracts visitors to this site. At present this temple is under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India. The town of Hosaholalu is about 60 kilometres from Hassan and 45 kilometres from the heritage city Mysore, the cultural capital of Karnataka state. Nearly nine inscriptions² are discovered from the village of Hosaholalu. But unfortunately, none of these records mention the name of the Lakshminarayana temple, but one of the records is inscribed on the steps of the Lakshminarayana temple. However, it is not helpful for the study of this temple as it belongs to 19^th century and mentions an individual, Nanjappa’s name.³ But other eight records, belonging to a period between 10^th to 13^th centuries, mention the names of different Hoysala rulers, their queens, royal family members and other Hoysala officials, making grants to a Jaina basadi and registering land grants. Hence, it can be easily surmised that this village was under the Hoysalas’ rule.