Hoysaleshwara ancient Hindu temple built by the Hoysalas at Halebid, Karnataka, India. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock) The Union Culture Ministry announced that the Hoysala Temples of Belur, Halebid and Somnathapura in Karnataka are India’s official nominations for the World Heritage List for the year 2022-2023.
The ‘Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala’ have been on UNESCO‘s Tentative List since April 15, 2014, and they are testimony to the rich historical and cultural heritage of this country.
This is a great moment for India to see the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas temples being submitted for inscription in the World Heritage List. This Govt. under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi, is committed to both Vikas & Virasat: @kishanreddybjp https://t.co/d59zcR2Dz3 pic.twitter.com/prC2TvihXk
— Ministry of Culture (@MinOfCultureGoI) January 31, 2022
Submitting the nomination to UNESCO Director of World Heritage Lazare Eloundou, Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO Vishal V Sharma took to Twitter to write, “India is proud to nominate The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas for UNESCO’s World Heritage List! Art historians recognise the exceptional sculptural artistry of the ensembles to be among the masterpieces of Asian art.”
#India is proud to nominate The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas for @UNESCO’s World Heritage List! Art historians recognize the exceptional sculptural artistry of the ensembles to be among the masterpieces of Asian art. @ASIGoI pic.twitter.com/bu2rmDpou7
— Vishal V. Sharma 🇮🇳 (@VishalVSharma7) January 31, 2022
If you have already seen the temples — or are considering visiting them — here are some interesting things to know. The Hoysaleswara temple, also called ‘Halebidu’ temple, is a 12th-century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the God of Destruction. It is said to be the largest monument in Halebidu, a town in Karnataka and erstwhile capital of the Hoysala Empire. It was sponsored by King Vishnuvardhana.
In the 14th century, Halebidu was plundered by northern invaders of the Delhi Sultanate, which resulted in its ruin and neglect.
The most exquisite Hoysala Temples of Belur, Halebid & Somnathapura in Karnataka have been finalised as India’s nomination for consideration as World Heritage for the year 2022-2023.
The ‘Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala’ are on the @UNESCO’s Tentative list since 15th April, 2014 pic.twitter.com/rtVAS3VQnc
— G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) January 31, 2022
The Hoysaleswara temple follows the Shaivism tradition, but includes themes from Vaishnavism and Shaktism, too, along with images from Jainism. The sculptures inside the temple depict scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana. Along with this temple, the nearby Kesava temple in Belur has also been proposed to be listed under UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
They are protected monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which takes care of their conservation and maintenance. The temples portray the skill of Hoysala artists; they have a basic Dravidian style, but also show a strong influence of ‘Bhumija’, which is seen in central India, along with ‘Nagara’ traditions of northern and western India.
📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
