Editing Hoysala architecture (section)

==Temple deities==
[[Image:Relief sculpture of the Hindu god Narayana with his consort Lakshmi (Lakshminarayana) in the Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Vishnu with Lakshmi (''Lakshminarayana'') at [[Halebidu]]]]
[[Image:Relief sculpture of the Hindu god Shiva with his consort Parvati riding Nandi the bull in the Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Shiva, Parvati, Nandi at [[Halebidu]]]]

Hinduism is a combination of secular and sacred beliefs, rituals, daily practices and traditions that has evolved over the course of over two thousand years and embodies complex symbolism combining the natural world with philosophy.

Hindu temples began as simple shrines housing a deity and by the time of the Hoysalas had evolved into well-articulated edifices in which worshippers sought transcendence of the daily world. Hoysala temples were not limited to any specifically organised tradition of Hinduism and encouraged pilgrims of different Hindu [[devotional movements]]. The Hoysalas usually dedicated their temples to [[Shiva]] or [[Vishnu]] (two of the popular Hindu gods), but they occasionally built some temples dedicated to the Jain faith as well. Worshippers of Shiva are called [[Shaivism|Shaivas]] and worshippers of Vishnu are called [[Vaishnava]]s.<ref name="worship">Foekema (1996), pp. 19–20, chapter-''The dedications and names of temples''</ref><ref name="iconography">Hardy (1995), p. 245</ref> While King [[Vishnuvardhana]] and his descendants were Vaishnava by faith,<ref name="vaishnava">Kamath (2001), p. 132</ref> records show that the Hoysalas maintained religious harmony by building as many temples dedicated to Shiva as they did to Vishnu.<ref name="equal">Foekema (1996), p. 19</ref>

Most of these temples have secular features with broad themes depicted in their sculptures. This can be seen in the famous [[Chennakeshava Temple, Belur|Chennakesava Temple]] at [[Belur, Karnataka|Belur]] dedicated to Vishnu and in the [[Hoysaleswara temple]] at [[Halebidu]] dedicated to Shiva. The Kesava temple at [[Somanathapura]] is different in that its ornamentation is strictly Vaishnava. Generally Vaishnava temples are dedicated to [[Keshava]] (or to Chennakeshava, meaning "Beautiful Vishnu") while a small number are dedicated to Lakshminarayana and Lakshminarasimha (Narayana and Narasimha both being [[Avatar]]s, or physical manifestations, of Vishnu) with [[Lakshmi]], consort of Vishnu, seated at his feet. Temples dedicated to Vishnu are always named after the deity.<ref name="ramayana1"/>

The [[Shaivism|Shaiva]] temples have a [[Lingam|Shiva linga]], symbol of fertility and the universal symbol of Shiva, in the [[shrine]]. The names of Shiva temples can end with the suffix ''eshwara'' meaning "Lord of". The name "Hoysaleswara", for instance, means "Lord of Hoysala". The temple can also be named after the devotee who commissioned the construction of the temple, an example being the Bucesvara temple at Koravangala, named after the devotee Buci.<ref name="name">Foekema (1996), p. 19–20</ref> The most striking sculptural decorations are the horizontal rows of mouldings with detailed [[relief]], and intricately carved images of gods, goddesses and their attendants on the outer temple wall panels.<ref name="horizontal">Kamath (2001), p. 134</ref>

The [[Doddagaddavalli]] Lakshmi Devi ("Goddess of Wealth") Temple is an exception as it is dedicated to neither Vishnu nor Shiva. The defeat of the Jain [[Western Ganga Dynasty]] (of present-day south Karnataka) by the Cholas in the early 11th century and the rising numbers of followers of [[Vaishnava|Vaishnava Hinduism]] and [[Virashaivism]] in the 12th century was mirrored by a decreased interest in [[Jainism]].<ref name="jain">Kamath (2001), pp 112, 132</ref> However, two notable locations of Jain worship in the Hoysala territory were [[Shravanabelagola]] and [[Kambadahalli]]. The Hoysalas built [[Jain]] temples to satisfy the needs of its Jain population, a few of which have survived in [[Halebidu]] containing icons of Jain [[tirthankaras]]. They constructed stepped wells called ''Pushkarni'' or ''Kalyani'', the ornate [[temple tank|tank]] at Hulikere being an example. The tank has twelve minor shrines containing Hindu deities.<ref name="tank">Foekema (1996), plate 27</ref>

The two main deities found in Hoysala temple sculpture are Shiva and Vishnu in their various forms and avatars (incarnations). Shiva is usually shown with four arms holding a [[trident]] and a small drum among other emblems that symbolise objects worshiped independently of the divine image with which they are associated.<ref name="Shiva">Foekema (1996), p. 31, chapter:''Recognizing the most important deities''</ref> Any male icon portrayed in this way is Shiva although a female icon may sometimes be portrayed with these attributes as Shiva's consort, [[Parvati]]. Various depictions of [[Shiva]] exist: showing him naked (fully or partially), in activities such as slaying a demon ([[Andhaka]]) or dancing on the head of a slain elephant ([[Gajasura]]) and holding its skin up behind his back. He is often accompanied by his consort Parvati or shown with [[Nandi (bull)|Nandi]] the bull. He may be represented as [[Bhairava]], another of Shiva's many manifestations.<ref name="Shiva"/>

A male figure depicted holding certain objects such as a [[conch]] (symbol of eternal, heavenly space) and a wheel (eternal time and destructive power) is Vishnu. If a female figure is depicted holding these objects, she is seen as his consort, [[Lakshmi]]. In all of the depictions Vishnu is holding four objects: a conch, a wheel, a [[Nelumbo nucifera|lotus]] and a [[Kaumodaki]] (mace). These can be held in any of the icon's hands, making possible twenty-four different forms of Vishnu, each with a unique name.<ref name="vishnu">Foekema (1996), p. 32, chapter:''Recognizing the most important deities''</ref> Apart from these, Vishnu is depicted in any of his [[Dashavatara|''ten avataras'']], which include Vishnu sitting on Anantha (the celestial snake and keeper of life energy also known as [[Shesha]]), Vishnu with Lakshmi seated on his lap ([[Lakshmi Narayana|Lakshminarayana]]), with the head of a lion disembowelling a demon on his lap ([[Narasimha|Lakshminarasimha]]), with head of a boar walking over a demon ([[Varaha]]), in the [[Krishna]] avatar (as [[Sree Venugopala|Venugopala]] or the cow herder playing the [[Venu]] (flute), dancing on the head of the snake [[Kaliya]], lifting a hill such as [[Govardhan Hill|Govardhana]]), with his feet over head of a small figure (''[[Vamana]]''), along with [[Indra]] riding an elephant, with [[Lakshmi]] seated on [[Garuda]], and the eagle (stealing the [[Parijata|parijata tree]]).<ref name="vishnu"/>