Navaranga entryway - south

Chennakeshava temple, Beluru, The south entrance - with Garuda and Hanuman at the doorway
Chennakeshava Temple, Beluru, south entrance, p3
Chennakeshava Temple, Beluru, south entrance - image 2

The images show an entrance at the south side of the Belur Chennakeshava Temple. The structure of this entrance is similar to the main entrance that faces east.

Unlike the main entrance, at the bottom part of the door are the sculptures of Hanuman and Garuda (Vishnu’s vehicle). While on the main entrance we see the sculptures of Rati and Manmatha.

There is only one jālandhara, the stone screen, which is on the right side, and it depicts the story of Narasimha, one of the avatars of Vishnu, slaying Hiranyakashipu in a gruesome manner by ripping off his entrails with his bare claws. The left side jālandhara was most likely destroyed, so it is now closed with stones.

Mounted on the pillars near the top, but just below the eaves, are the beautifully-carved sculptures, popularly known as bracket figures.These are sculptures of dancing girls called the Madanikas or the Shilabalikas. The Madanikas at each entrance differ from each other.

Entrance in the north