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Hoysalas
Gommates vara Commemoration Volume
The most important dynastic patrons at Sravanabelgola were the Hoysalas since most of the temples at the site were built during their rule. In fact the great majority of Jaina temples throughout the state date from their period with the greatest number from the 12th century. The most impressive of their temples are found at Bastihalli at Halebid and at Sravapabelgola.
The dynastic style of the Hoysalas is derived both from that of the Late Calukyas of Kalyani and a style found much further north in the Deccan, while is owes very little to the style of their predecessors in Southern Karnataka, the Gangas. Due to the close ties between this early power and the Hoysalas, the lack of a continuous artistic tradition is surprising. This is due in part to the introduction of the Srivaispava faith into the Hoysala regions early during the reign of Visuvardhana and the subsequent quick evolution of the Hoysala style in the early 12th century at Belur and Halebid. At the same time the very ornate style associated with the Hoysalas, with many examples ranging in date from the Cennakelava at Belur (Hassan District) of 1117 to the Kelava at Somanathapura (Mysore District) of before 1268, is almost totally ignored by the Jaina architect. Their preferred style is the simpler more austere tradition already in vogue during the Ganga period. The Jainas continued to build temples with unpretentious exteriors and lavished the bulk of their ornamentations to the interiors of the building. Even the most important of the Jaina bastis tend to be cubes of cut granite with little architectural decoration.
The few exceptions to this trend include the Parsvanatha basti at Bastihalli and the Sintivara basti at Jinanathapura. Pärivanatha basti is much closer to the Hoysala style with the addition of rather ornate parapets to the temple and the use of decorative basement mouldings and articulation of the walls. At the same time there are none of the large figures on the walls that are present at many of the Hindu temples at the site. Compared to the great Hoysaleśvara nearby it can only be called restrained. What is so typical about this Jaina basti is that the interior offers a wealth of delicate detail that is not fully expected from the relatively plain handling of the exterior.
The only Jaina equivalent to temples like the Hoysaļešvara is the Santisvara basti at Jinanathapura built at the end of the 12th century. The differences between the usual Jaina basti type and the Santiśvara are not just differences of style, but rather an entirely different approach to temple building. The greatest Hoysala temple, the Hoysaleśvara, is extravagantly ornate on its exterior, but the interior (although highly articulated) is much more restrained and ultimately the detail is reduced to the aniconic linga, the most abstract focus of religious rites. On the other hand the Jaina temples function in a different manner; the exterior is very plain and the interior is ornate leading to what is often a very large image of one of
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