Dede Sophie

This early 12th century soapstone temple happens to be one of the earliest known temples built in the Hoysala era. It is the only chatushkuta (four shrines) temple built by the Hoysala dynasty. It was the first grand temple dedicated to goddess Lakshmi in the South of India. There are many architectural aspects to it that are unique to this temple only and not found in any of the other Hoysala temples. I am talking about the architectural beauty called Lakshmi Devi temple that is located in the village of Doddagaddavalli. Located somewhere between Belur and Hassan, the Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddvalli is a rural holiday gem set amidst a sleepy village, coconut plantations and a lake. Many things about this temple are unique. It doesn’t have a jagati or raised platform that is common with other Hoysala temples. It has a combination of Kadamba and Dravidian shikharas. It has 4 shrines. And unlike the other Hoysala temples, it lacks ornate sculptures and intricate carvings. From a...

It is the kind of place where peace, spirituality and lush nature go hand in hand. It is a place where prehistoric rock art, beautiful Hindu and Jain temples and a matha established by Sri Madhvacharya exist in close proximity to each other. It is the kind of place where life seems to move at a much slower pace. I am talking about Sonda or Sodhe, the lush temple village that is nestled amidst the Sahyadri mountains and is surrounded by the dense jungles of the Western Ghats. As a thumb rule, most tourists visit this village for the 13th century Sodhe Matha (also known as Sri Vadiraja Matha), one of the Ashta Mathas established by Sri Madhvacharya, the famous Dvaita philosopher. The main deities worshipped here are Lord Bhuvaraha, Lord Hayagriva and Sri Bhuta Raja. The brindavana of Swami Vadiraja Tirtha can also be found here. But, there is more to Sonda, than the Sodhe Matha. There is the Rama Trivikrama temple and stone chariot, built in Vijayanagara style, the Shankarnarayana templ...