A shrine with a little bit of everything

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The priest says it was built by the same Malla Byre Gowda of Avati  ( 16 th cent) who built the original fort. But the Venugoplaswami temple inside Devanahalli Fort is today an amalgam of styles. It has a typical dravidian tower, chalukyan style sculptures, ( though much less flamboyant than elsewhere ), a Vijayanagar style presiding idol in the sanctum and two Ganga period Vishnus with prayoga chakras standing guard outside the tower.

The wall panels are most interesting as they show scenes from the much loved epics, like a picture book. The pillars in the navaranga have assorted images, which range from the basic to the exquisite.

It is a living temple and the paraphrenalia for the Teru festival were getting spruced up, all gleaming and  pretty, when we visited. 







The Vishnu of the Gangas , with prayoga chakra . 
Was painting him necessary ? 
























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