Temples of Talakadu - Karnataka
Sri Keerthi Narayana temple is dedicated to the Lord Vishnu being considered as one of the five Vishnu temples, famously known as Pancha Narayana temples. It is established at the behest of Shri Ramanujacharya during 10th century and was constructed later in Hoysala style during the reign of the Hoysala ruler Vishnuvardhana. It is believed that the Hoysala ruler constructed this temple to represent their victory over Cholas during 12th century and it is the only Hoysala architecture found in Talakadu today.
During incessant rains and subsidence of the soil the outer wall of the Garbhagriha of the temple collapsed. By the timely temporary support provided by ‘The Archeological survey of India’ the damage to the idols were prevented and restored slightly away from the original place. But the major portion of the temple is still covered under the sand. Earlier the sanctum had a place for worshipping Sundaravalli goddess to the south of the main idol. Since the whole of the idol was covered with sand, only the main idol was installed in the navaranga mantapa. The temple that is seen in present days is excavated from under the sand during 1911.
The sanctum has an eight feet tall idol of Keertinarayana (Lord Vishnu) on garuda peeta. The lord is seen holding shankha (conch) in upper left hand, Chakra in upper right hand, lotus in his lower left hand and mace in his lower right hand. It has an intricately carved mandapas with the idols of Ramanujacharya, Vedhantha Desikar, Nammazhwar in Navaranga mandapa and the figure of Ugra Narasimha in Ardha mandapa. Garuda Kamba and few more inscriptions are the other attractions of this temple. Recently during the time of excavation, the archeologists have discovered some of the structures linked with this temple that belong to the earlier days of Hoysala.
