Shri Chennakeshava Swami Temple (Somanathapura) - Hindu temple in Somanathapura - Mysuru, India

One of the best UNESCO heritage temple. It's mesmerising and the architecture is so well built. It's just mind blowing looking at the work. The ticketing system is online and it's online generated at the entrance. There is no hotel or good restaurants available nearby so better go prepared accordingly. There is no wait time or crowded during weekdays.

It is a marvel of Hindu culture and exceptional Hoysala architecture. No Pooja is performed at this temple because the idols are defaced or damaged. It is exceptionally well maintained, moreover so, because it is a world heritage site now. Please visit the temple in early hours for a peaceful tour (guides are also available for Rs 400). Moreover, you can bring your DSLR/mirrorless camera with you for photography. On a final note, please don't litter or etch anything on the stone. It is a great exemplar of our heritage and everyone should play a part in preserving it. P.S. You can buy tickets on site using a QR code and paying Rs. 20 per person.

Excellent work by ASI, very well maintained after the terrible destruction of India's heritage by invaders. Chennakeshava temple or the Keshava temple is a Vishnu temple in Somnathpura today in ruins but has excellent history

Must visit temple. No active poojas being done as the idols are ruined by invaders in 1200 century. We hired a guide, charged 400, explained very well. 500 people constructed this temple for 58 years. Every carving detail is mesmerizing. Well maintained, neat and clean. Such temples give positive vibes when we visit. Scan QR code at the temple itself and buy tickets online. I am attaching the instructions pic for the same here.

The architecture of the temple was so unique and beautiful. They don't do any pooja in the temple. You can just go pray and admire the beauty of the architecture. You need to get tickets in the entrance which you need to buy online by scanning the link they show. The ticket rate is 50rs.

This is the epitome of Hoysala art and architecture. In aspects of still having the gopura, this is a step ahead of the temples at Belur and Halebidu. It is best to hire a guide to better understand the temple. It would take multiple visits to comprehend the temple architecture in its entirety. There are more than 3000 small and large carvings on the temple walls. The inscription says it took 58 years to build the temple from soapstone mined from the earth. The Vishnu avataras, the stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata and the puranas come alive on the walls of the temple. The three gopuras are an indication of the three principle deities Keshava, Janardhana and Venugopala. The intricate carvings on the gopuras and decorative art are out of the world. The lifestyle of the people of the era has been captured by the sculptors in complex carvings. The smooth pillars inside the main complex made using country lathe of that era is a sight to behold. The intricate carvings on the roof is another wonder to be explored. A must visit for any travel enthusiast.

A very beautiful temple and completely offbeat. You can club with Maysore trip as it's hardly 30KM from Maysore. You can't offer worship but you can do the prayer. As usual Hoysala architecture will Mantramoongdh , you can spend 2-3 hrs here. There no good restaurants nearby this location therefore plan your self accordingly. Keep necessary food items if you are travelling with kids. You need to pay 30/- as parking charges for car parking. Entry fee is only 20/- each person that you can scan the barcode and pay. There are multiple room for idols and most of them are missing. Bit surprised us. There is 2 authorised person for guide who can explain you about the temple. This temple was consecrated in 1258 CE by Somanatha Dandanayaka, a general of the Hoysala King Narasimha III. The ornate temple is a model illustration of the Hoysala architecture. The temple is enclosed in a courtyard with a pillared corridor of small shrines (damaged). The main temple in the center is on a high star-shaped platform with three symmetrical sanctums (garbha-griha), set in a square matrix oriented along the east-west and north-south axes

Somnathpur Somnathpur, also known as Somnathpura, lies in the district of Mysore in Karnataka, India. This little town is located at a distance of 35 Kilometers from the City of Mysore. A classic example of the famous Hoysala architecture, and is one of the three temples of the kind to be nominated in the Unesco World Heritage list. Unfortunately, this temple is no longer used as a place of worship because the idols have been broken and desecrated by the invading Muslim armies. However, the beauty of the temple still charms thousands of visitors who visit the site to witness the magnificent artistic and engineering achievements of the era, to seek the Lord's blessing and admire the delicate carvings and sculptures, whose beauty is unequal and as unique as the God that it houses.