Basaralu

Basaralu Basari alu
village
The Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu, built in 1234 during the reign of Hoysala King Vira Narasimha II The Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu, built in 1234 during the reign of Hoysala King Vira Narasimha II
Basaralu Location in Karnataka, India
Coordinates:
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Mandya
Languages
• Official	Kannada
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)

"Basaralu" town is located in Mandya district, Karnataka, India. It is home to the Mallikarjuna temple, an ornate example of Hoysala architecture, and is dedicated to Mallikarjuna, another name for the Hindu god Shiva. This temple was built in 1234 by Harihara Nayaka, a commander under the Hoysala King Vira Narasimha II.

Temple Complex

File:Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu, Karnataka state.jpg

The Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu, Mandys district, Karnataka state, India

The temple complex comprises two shrines dedicated to the deities Mallikarjuna and Chandikeshwara. The Mallikarjuna shrine houses a Balahari "linga" and beautiful lotus carving on the ceiling. There is a Bhairava sculpture in the sanctum ("garbhagriha") of Chandikeshwara temple in a corner of the temple complex. There is a twenty feet tall pillar opposite to the temple. The base of the temple has mouldings with relief in the ascending order of elephants, horses with riders, Hoysala emblem, puranic episodes, crocodiles and swans, a theme that is common in most Hoysala temples.