Hoysala Architecture Part-2
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The Hoysala rulers extended great patronage to architecture and sculpture, which is unmatched by any other dynasty in Karnataka. One of the important characteristics of the Hoysala architecture are their artistic pillars. Although the Hoysala pillars are an imitation of the square cushioned pillars of the Dravidian style, they have their own distinctive features. Being influenced by the Chalukya style, the Hoysala sculptors began to use a lathe for their pillars. They roughly prepared a block of soapstone, which was then turned on a lathe, and then finally carved into various shapes and sizes using an iron chisel.
The base of the pillar is square, the middle portion represents an inverted bell or lotus, and the upper portion is circular in shape. The designs on the pillar are circular in high and low reliefs. Sometimes the pillar has two wheels on top instead of one, with a lotus in between the two wheels. Above this, there are square shaped cushions of diverse ornate decorations and bracket stones, which connect the pillars to the ceilings. On the sloping bracket stones above the pillars of the navarangaor hall, and half pillars of the outer wall, are carved fine iamges of salabhanjikaandmadanikafigures. The tops of these pillars are covered with several captivating carvings. No two pillars have the same carvings and ornamentation.
The four pillars of the navaranga are completely covered with ornamentation, and some surfaces are so well polished that they reflect light. The central area of some pillars do not have any carvings and are simply polished. These features can also be seen in temples of the Badami Chaluka dynasty in North Karanataka and some temples of the Himadri sect. Therefore, these features had not been originally created by the Hoysalas but were adapted and integrated by them in their architecture. Although they have given these feature a new shape through their artistic ingenuity. The uneven surfaces of the walls provided the sculptures with more space for ornamentation. They have thus, covered every inch in carvings of exquisite beauty.