Life in the Mini panels of Halebeedu
The Hoysasleshwara Temple of Dwarasamudra built in 1121 CE by Ketamalla, General of Vishnuvardhana, is rightly famed for its profuse ornamentation , the dynamic ,large figures on the outer walls and the incredibly detailed ceiling slabs. It also has tiers and tiers of smaller friezes , crammed with innumerable figures of people and beasts, both real and mythological , all around the outer walls, the accordian like folds of which give a large surface area to work upon. Life lies in these smaller details . The apprentices of the sculptors' guild that worked here must have had a free hand in choosing their motifs. And like modern day Art Students going all out with their ideas and techniques on public walls, those acolytes seem to have given free rein to their imaginative best. Rows of elephants, each one doing its own thing, the more orderly Vyalas and horses , warriors, citizens enjoying music and dance , along with characters from the Epic...