Restoration and amalgamation

Restoration and amalgamation - an interrsting example from another era .

Vijayanarayana Temple , Gundlupet .

The shrine dates from the Western Ganga period ( 10 CE ) , but has been maintained by various succeeding dynasties who have left their marks on the archiecture too. 

The present Narayana is believed  to have been installed by Hoysala Vishnuvardhana who had ordered largescale renovation . 

The shrine is a rather clean cut, simple structure with elegant  decorations like the row of makaras on the hara , the kumbhapanjaras on the outer wall of the sanctum , scroll-work kudus ,   ....There is no rajagopuram, and the vimana is modest . 

The most striking, photogenic  feature of the temple  is the  beautiful mukhamantapa  , which ironically wasnt meant for it ! It was salvaged and relocated from a 17th Century temple of the Wodeyar Dynasty , The Paravasudeva , which had gone  to ruin .

 The work was carried out in 1917 by the MysoreArcheological circle . It had blended in seamlessly and is now  the most recognised feature of Vijayanarayana .