Picking up from a past
TARA KASHYAP
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The era of the Hoysala kings is considered the golden age in the development of art, architecture and religion of Karnataka. In the Suvarna Karnataka year we remember them for their contributions to the Kannada land
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Photo: Bijoy Ghosh
HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE The Hoysala Empire is today remembered primarily for its architecture; the finest examples are in Belur, Halebidu and Somnathpura
Hoysala conjures up an image of old world charm with all its links to history and heritage of Karnataka. Adoption of the name Hoysala for a particular squad in the police department in recent times was intended to evoke fear and a sense of awe in the minds of the people on the one hand, and to offer protection on the other. It is interesting to note that it is an attempt to revive an age-old concept that dominated the psyche of the people in Karnataka, since medieval times. Behind this cultural façade is a fascinating tradition.
The story
Hoysala is a term coined after an incident which is believed to have occurred some time around 1000 A.D. Legend has it that a tribal chief saved his spiritual preceptor Sudatta, a Jaina muni from being attacked by a lion or a tiger while the worship rituals were going on in the temple of Vasantika Devi in Angadi near Chikmagalur. The appeal to Sala to `Hoy' meaning slay in old Kannada, by the muni and carrying out this great deed of bravery acquired historical significance. For, the tribal chief by saving the muni, earned for himself a kingdom. The name Sala got prefixed with the word `Hoy'— a dynasty with the victorious name, and it has dominated the history and culture of Karnataka over 300 years (circa 1100 A.D-1400 A.D.). The act of slaying of the beast became the royal insignia, often painted on the flags, eulogized by the poets and sculpted on the monuments of the period.
The Hoysalas were in power from 1000 to 1346 CE, with Belur and later Halebidu as their capital. The Hoysala Empire is today remembered primarily for its architecture. Over a 100 surviving temples are scattered across Karnataka, the finest examples of which are found in the cities of Belur, Halebidu and Somnathpura. Kannada was the native language of the Hoysala Kings.
The Hoysala Kings encouraged both Kannada and Sanskrit literature. The Hoysala era is considered a golden age in the development of art, architecture and religion. Literature in Kannada language in the Vaishnava, Shaiva and Jain traditions flourished. Many great Sanskrit works spanning Advaita, Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita philosophies were written. Three of India's great philosophers, Ramanujacharya, Basavanna and Madhvacharya lived during this time. Slaying a beast either on a sudden impulse or in a pre-planned hunt, which symbolised boundless strength, manliness and bravery has since ancient times captured the imagination of the artists the world over. Animal-slayer had become a popular motif in the art traditions of the Sumerians (Iraq), Hitites, Iranians, inhabitants of the Indus Valley, Greeks and others. Lion or occasionally a tiger was chosen as the powerful beast represented as being overpowered heroically by a man in fierce struggle, animosity and ultimately ending in triumph.
The representation of such feats of valour are commonly found in one form or the other in the cultural traditions during the various phases in Indian history. It is interesting to note that lion and lion alone of all the animals was chosen to create the symbol of power and strength. Subduing the brute force of the king of the animal kingdom, by a human king indicated greater glory achieved by the latter. Strangely enough, even in the regions not strictly natural habitats of lion its domination had gained popular acceptance. This is very true of Karnataka forests, which are known more for tigers than lions. A review of the contemporary epigraphical records related to this incident interestingly reveal that the beast is referred to as shardula or tiger.
Shardula is mentioned more number of times than simha or lion. However, paradoxically while in all the Sala groups it is the figure of lion that is seen and not the tiger. It is possible that the sculptor's selection of lion for the portrayal of the beast was more for the sake of convenience. Technically also it was difficult to carve in stone the colourful stripes and ferocity of the tiger. The mane, the undulating body, the tufted tail of the lion lent themselves for the effective portrayal of the emblem. Besides the prototype of the lion-slayer motif as pointed out earlier was readily available in the existing art traditions.
Overpowering and annihilating that brute force which signified valour of superhuman nature fired the imagination of artists and sculptors of Karnataka The motif remained a constant source of inspiration for their creativity. Based on the act of Sala, slaying a lion the motif is unique considering its appearance in diversified forms. The motif is carved as part of a decorative scheme on the base reliefs as in Hoysalesvara temple at Halebid or as a narrative depicting a hunting scene on a slab from Tripurantakesvara temple, Belagavi (in the Collection of Chatrapati Shivaji Museum, Mumbai ). The uniqueness also lies in the fact that from a small insignia pained on flags and engraved on coins Sala groups of massive dimensions are seen for the first time, surmounting the towers and being placed on either side of the entrances of the temples, proclaiming the glory of the Hoysala dynasty and its imperial power. It was a daring attempt by the Hoysala architects and sculptors to glorify the position of pre-eminence attained by the rulers of the Hoysala dynasty in medieval times in peninsular India.
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