Lakshmidevi Temple - Doddagadduvalli, Hassan - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 18 km from Halebidu, 21 km from Hassan, and 24 km from Belur, Lakshmi Devi temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Doddagaddavalli village in the Hassan district of Karnataka. Situated on the Hassan - Belur highway, it is one of the stunning Hoysala temples in Karnataka, and among the top tourist places in Hassan.

Dedicated to goddess Lakshmi, the Lakshmi Devi Temple at Doddagaddavalli was built by a merchant called Kullahana Rahuta and his wife Sahaja Devi during the reign of King Vishnuvardhana in 1114 CE, and is one of the earliest known temples built in the Hoysala style. Built with soapstone, it is the only example of the chatuskuta (four-shrined) order of temples built during the Hoysala period. Each is complete with a shikhara, a sukhanasi (vestibule), a kalasa on the shikhara, and a Hoysala crest on the sukhanasi.

The temple complex has two entrances. The one on the east makes its way through a porch while the one on the west opens to the lake. Unlike typical Hoysala temples, this one is not built on a platform. The plan of the temple is different as it has four shrines placed around a common center. Of the four shrines, the east shrine is dedicated to goddess Lakshmi, the west is for Lord Shiva, the north has an image of Goddess Kali and the south one is devoid of any image now. All the towers, except that on the Lakshmi shrine (east), are of a simple stepped pyramidal variety of the Kadamba Nagara type. The tower over the Lakshmi shrine is dwitala vimana topped by square sikhara and stone finial. Interestingly, all the four towers accommodate the mahanasa projection crowned by the earliest examples of the Hoysala royal emblem of Sala striking a tiger. The entire structure is enclosed by a stone wall having a dwara mandapa with a porch from the south.

A few feet away from the main structure is the fifth shrine dedicated to Bhairava, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. The shrine stands free from the main complex and faces south. It also has a shikhara and a sukhanasi, both of them complete with a kalasa and a Hoysala crest.

Timings: 9 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free