Keshava Temple Somanathapura

A magnificent millenia old temple very close to Mysuru city

Keshava Temple Somanathapura is the millenia old marvel, which most of the tourists visiting Mysuru miss going there despite being near to the city. The Keshava Temple, also referred to as Chennakeshava Temple.

The breath-taking exquisite architecture and the grandeur the millenia old temples like Somanathapura Keshava temple offers certainly deserves a visit by the tourists. Each of these temples is so spell-bound that they (tourists) may get fully absorbed for hours and may get lost in the beauty of the intricate art. That’s the kind of magic-spell they unleash on the visitors. Let’s see in brief what’s in these temples which turned them into what they are.

Brief about Keshava Temple Somanathapura

Somanathapura the place, which was earlier under the rule of Cholas, was conquered by Hoysala Vishnuvardhana in A.D. 1117. Later it was ruled by the Vijayanagara Kings and Wodeyars of Mysore. It became one of the foremost agrahara townships during the rule of Narasimha III. An inscription dated A.D. 1268 records that Somanatha Dandanayaka, an illustrious general of the Hoysala King Narasimha III, established an agrahara in Somanathapura and named it as “Vidyanidhi Somanathapura” and consecrated the temple of Keshava.

The temple is the most ornate and perfect model of the Hoysala style of architecture. The temple facing east has three garbhagrihas on the west, north and south, all connected to a common pillared hall through a separate sukanasi. The western sanctum houses the image of Vishnu as Keshva. The southren has the image of Venugopala and the northren has image of Janardana. The temple stands on a high stellate platform, and it enclosed in a spacious courtyard surrounded by pillared corridors with sub-shrines.

The temple is known for elaborately carved doorways, and beautifully executed ceilings of the navaranga mandapa. The friezes of the basement, beautiful images of deities adoring the exterior wall surfaces with names of the sculptors who carved them like Mallitamma, the highly decorated and beautifully proportioned superstructure resting on the three sanctums, known for their poise and elegance render the Keshava temple a perfect model of the trikutachala order.

Important Information

The Keshava temple is open for visitors between sunrise and sunset. To book your ticket click this link https://asi.payumoney.com/quick/ket

• The e-ticket is not transferable.
• Entry Fee is not refundable.
• E-ticket cancellations are not permitted
• Visitor shall be required to show photo identity proof in original at the entry to the monument.
• Edibles are not allowed inside the monument.
• Inflammable/dangerous/explosive articles are not allowed.
• The entry to the monument will close thirty minutes prior to sunset.
• Ticket is valid only for 3 hours from the time of entry

(Please note: only e-tickets are available and no offline tickets available as on 31.12.2020).

Eateries around temple

There are NO decent eateries in the vicinity of the temple, so tourists are advised either to head back to Mysuru for food OR carry food along, and eat it in a safe place. Never litter the temple surroundings and always throw the trash in the dust bins.

Things to carry

(a) Identity card, (b) Camera, (c) Sunglass, (d) Sun cap (e) Water bottle (f) Medicine (g) Sun cream (h) Power bank.

How to get there?

Public transportation service is not good to rely on though cut service KSRTC and Private buses are available between Mysuru and Somanathapur via Bannur. The best way is to avail the paid cab services at the hotel where the tourists are lodged.

Further information on the Somanathapura temple can be got from wikipedia

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Also Read:- Tourism in and around Mysuru and other cities of the region