Large and small temples built during this era remain as examples of the Hoysala architectural style, including the Chennakesava Temple at Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu, and the Kesava Temple at Somanathapura.

Other examples of fine Hoysala craftsmanship are the temples at Belavadi, Amruthapura, Hosaholalu, Mosale, Arasikere, Basaralu, Kikkeri and Nuggehalli.

Temples built prior to Hoysala independence in the mid-12th century reflect significant Western Chalukya influences, while later temples retain some features salient to Chalukyan art but have additional inventive decoration and ornamentation, features unique to Hoysala artisans.

About one hundred temples have survived in present-day Karnataka state, mostly in the Malnad ( hill ) districts, the native home of the Hoysala kings.

As popular tourist destinations in Karnataka, Hoysala temples offer an opportunity for pilgrims and students of architecture to examine medieval Hindu architecture in the Karnata Dravida tradition.

Medieval Kannada language inscriptions displayed prominently at temple locations give details of the temples and offer information about the history of the Hoysala dynasty.

Hoysala temples were not limited to any specific organised tradition of Hinduism and encouraged pilgrims of different Hindu devotional movements.

Although superficially unique, Hoysala temples resemble each other structurally.

Most Hoysala temples have a plain covered entrance porch supported by lathe turned ( circular or bell-shaped ) pillars which were sometimes further carved with deep fluting and moulded with decorative motifs.

These features were the use of chloritic schist or soapstone as a basic building material, pierced stone window screens which were very popular in Hoysala temples, and the vimana which follows a stellate pattern.

It is home to one of the best examples of Hoysala architecture in the ornate Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples.

The Hoysala Empire temples were made from soapstone.

Large and small temples built during this era remain as examples of the Hoysala architectural style, including the Chennakesava Temple at Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu, and the Kesava Temple at Somanathapura.

Other examples of fine Hoysala craftmanship are the temples at Belavadi, Amrithapura, and Nuggehalli.

About a 100 Hoysala temples survive today.

The Place has a historic value, with temples of near Hoysala time.

Turuvekere boasts of many fine Hoysala temples.

Among several styles of Sikharas that obtain in Hindu temple architecture, the three most common ones are the " Dravidian " style prevalent in southern India and the " Nagar " style prevalent almost everywhere else and the third style born from the synthesis of the other two called the Vesara style, seen mostly in Karnataka and most commonly in Hoysala and later Chalukya temples.

The Hoysala temples at Belur, Halebidu and Somnathpura are supreme examples of this style.

The twin cities have a history behind them dating back to the Hoysala period.

The Chenraya Perumal temple there is a protected monument and is thought to have been constructed both by the King Krishna Devaraya and the Hoysala kings.

Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana is stated to have been in possession of both Gangavadi-96000 and Nolambavadi-32000.

Study of the Hoysala architectural style has revealed a negligible Indo-Aryan influence while the impact of Southern Indian style is more distinct.

Study of the Hoysala architectural style has revealed a negligible Indo-Aryan influence while the impact of Southern Indian style is more distinct.

Jatavarman did not stop there: he went inside Kannada country after conquering Tiruchy and occupied parts of Hoysala territory up to the Konkana coast and established his son Vira Pandiyan as ruler of those territories.

Other dynasties that are considered imperial by historians are the Kushanas, Guptas, Vijayanagara, Hoysala and the Cholas.

The two main deities found in Hoysala temple sculpture are Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu in their various forms and avatars ( incarnations ).

These are further subdivided into the following castes: Babbur Kamme Brahmins, Badaganadu Brahmins, Deshastha Brahmin, Hale naadu Karnataka Brahmins, Havyaka Brahmin, Hasan Iyengars, Hebbar Iyengars, Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins, Jangam Brahmins, Karhade Brahmin, Koota Brahmins, Madhva Brahmins, Mandyam Iyengars, Mysore Iyengars, Vishwabrahmin, Niyogi Brahmins, Panchagrama Brahmins, Sankethi Brahmins, Sattada vaishnava Brahmins, Shukla Yajurveda Brahmins, Smartha Brahmins, Srivaishnava Brahmins, Sthanika Brahmins, Ulucha Kamme Brahmins

The Hoysala dominance over the Tamil Kingdoms had also waned by the time Sundara Pandyan I took power in 1251.

The Pandya power extended from the Telugu countries on banks of the Godavari river to the northern half of Sri Lanka, which was invaded by Sundara Pandyan I in 1258 and on his behalf by his younger brother Jatavarman Vira Pandyan I from 1262-1264. later Jatavarman Sundara Pandiyan appointed his brother to rule KOngu country, Chola nadu and Hoysala country.

Some writers say that towards the end his reign, Kulottunga lost the province of Gangavadi to Hoysala Vishnuvardhana who attacked this major Chola province ( c. 1116 CE ) in Kannada country from the times of and defeated the Chola Viceroy Adigaiman, the controller of Kongu and Kannada country there, but this proposition seems to stand on very fragile ground considering the massive power of chola empire during the period and its domination of Asia during Kulothunga's time.

and the establishment of control over Kannada country, Rajendra I had famous titles like Mudikonda Chozhan ( crown prince ), ' Jayasimha Saraban ' ( the vanquisher of Jayasimha ), Mannaikonda Sozhan ( the King who took possession of Mannai ( kadakkam ) i. e. Chalukyan capital of Manyakheta – called Mannaikadakkam in Chola annals ), Irattapadikonda Sozhan ( the king who conquered Irattapadi or the land of the Rashtrakutas ( later usurped by the Chalukyas ), Nirupathivaagaran ( the king who subdued Hoysala Nrupathunga and his successors ).

During the Hoysala supremacy also different tracts of this district were being administered by different local chiefs.

Profile of a Hoysala temple at Somanathapura

The vigorous temple building activity of the Hoysala Empire was due to the social, cultural and political events of the period.

The stylistic transformation of the Karnata temple building tradition reflected religious trends popularized by the Vaishnava and Virashaiva philosophers as well as the growing military prowess of the Hoysala kings who desired to surpass their Western Chalukya overlords in artistic achievement.

Hoysala stepped temple tank ( Kalyani ) at Hulikere, Karnataka

The jagati which is in unity with the rest of the temple follows a star-shaped design and the walls of the temple follow a zig-zag pattern, a Hoysala innovation.

The Hoysaleswara temple was built during this time by Ketamala and attributed to Vishnuvardhana, the Hoysala ruler.

It enshrines Hoysaleswara and Shantaleswara, named after the temple builder Vishnuvardhana Hoysala and his wife, Queen Shantala.

File: Belur2 retouched. jpg | Soapstone sculpture on the Hoysala temple at Belur, India

A feature of Hoysala temple architecture is its attention to detail and skilled craftmanship.

Anekonda: The Eshwara temple at Anekonda is a little one in the Hoysala style.

Rear view of the Rameshvara temple, built in the Hoysala architecture | Hoysala style at the Sanagama

Inscriptions in the temple record contributions made by several Vijayanagara emperors but the temple was probably built on an earlier Hoysala site as it combines Hoysala and Vijayanagara architectural features.

This temple was built by Soma, a Dandanayaka ( commander ) in 1268 under Hoysala king Narasimha III, when the Hoysala Empire was the major power in South India.

Vitthala temple with musical pillars, Hoysala style multigonal base Hampi

There is a Chennakeshava temple of the Hoysala style.