However, in case the temple is closed, you could either ask anyone for the house of the temple priest Narayana Swamy or you can try calling him on his mobile +91 94488 94575. The temple is usually open from 6 AM to 7 PM. I love such hidden gems and would recommend it with many thumbs up. It doesn’t matter whether you are an art, temple or culture lover, a student of archaeology or just a regular joe looking for a weekend getaway close to Bangalore, Javagal’s Lakshmi Narasimha temple and its surroundings are bound to appeal to all. It offers a beautiful mix of offbeat Hoysala temple, village atmosphere and a lush green landscape. The Lakshmi Narasimha temple at Javagal is perfect for a Sunday day trip from Bangalore. Most of these sculptures were sculpted by the famous Hoysala temple artisan Mallitamma. Right above these friezes, you will see close to 140 beautifully carved sculptures that include Chaturvimsati murtis (24 different aspects of Lord Maha Vishnu), Hari hara, Brahma, Goddess Parvati, Tandav Ganesha and more. Staring from the top, these friezes depict hansa (birds), makara (crocodiles), Hindu epics and other stories, leafy scrolls, horses and elephants. Now, coming to the outside of the temple, as you take a clockwise pradakshinam (circumambulation), you will notice the six equal width rectangular moldings or friezes close to your feet. The sukanasi and the vestibule connecting the 3 shrines have beautiful carvings, ceiling work and sculptures. If you stand in the vestibule, straight ahead would be the sukanasi and the garbha griha of Sridhara, to your left would be the shrine of Venugopala and to your right would be the shrine of Lakshmi Narasimha. From here, you can enter the main temple complex and its three shrines.
Then, you are greeted by a Garuda sthamba, two dwarapalas Jaya and Vijaya and then the ranga mantapa with the lathe turned pillars. That is how offbeat this temple is on the cultural circuit.Ī typical visit to this temple would start with entering a mantapa with two elephant balustrades that were built in the Vijayanagara period. Most people visiting this temple are pilgrims and you will hardly see any art, culture or temple lovers. It is a working temple and daily puja, mangalarti and archana is offered.
LAKSHMI NARASIMHA SWAMY TEMPLE BANGALORE FULL
The main temple enclosure is full of thorns and weeds and a lot of restoration work is unscientific, but thankfully most of the original temple is still standing, even though it is a bit weather beaten. This temple does not come under the archaeological survey of India and hence does not see much in terms of grants and regular maintenance, which is very sad, as it is an integral part of our country’s rich heritage. As the main deity of this temple is Sridhara, some people also refer this temple to as Sridhara temple. The other two shrines are dedicated to Venugopala and Lakshmi Narasimha. The main deity of this temple is Sridhara. And its outer wall panel sculptures, reliefs and friezes are folkish in character and much different from the other Hoysala temples where the work is more intricate, well planned and laid out. Where it differs from the other temples is that even though it is home to three shrines, it has only one shikhara. Like most Hoysala era temples, the Lakshmi Narasimha temple at Javagal stands on a jagati (raised platform), beautiful moulding friezes and sculptures on the outer walls and lathe turned pillars, sukanasi and garbha griha on the inside.
This trikuta temple is one of many such lesser known gorgeous temples built during the reign of the Hoysala kingdom. I am talking about the offbeat Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple that is located in the pretty little laidback village called Javagal, the ancestral village of Indian cricketer Javagal Srinath. It is located in a small village that is associated with one of Indian cricket’s fast bowlers. It is a 13th century Hoysala era temple gem that is located just a few hours away from Bangalore.