Abstract

This study examines the architectural and iconographic transformation of temple walls in Hoysaḷa architecture within the historical and cultural context of medieval Karnāṭaka (twelfth–fourteenth centuries CE). Emerging from the Karnāṭa Drāviḍa tradition of the Western Cāḷukyas, the Hoysaḷas developed a distinctive architectural idiom characterized by innovative construction techniques and an intensified sculptural articulation of exterior walls. Structural features such as double-wall construction, rhythmic projections, and stellate plans generated expansive surfaces that enabled the systematic integration of sculptural programs. The research explores how these architectural developments intersected with theological frameworks derived from the Āgamas and Śilpaśāstras, alongside the growing influence of Vaiṣṇava traditions, particularly the Pañcarātra doctrine associated with Śrī Rāmānuja. The proliferation of divine imagery—including the Daśāvatāra, Vyūha manifestations, and Caturviṃśati forms of Viṣṇu —demonstrates the translation of metaphysical concepts into standardized visual forms.

By analyzing architecture and iconography together, the study argues that Hoysaḷa temple walls functioned not merely as structural components but as dynamic theological and narrative media that articulated religious ideology, artistic innovation, and emerging regional identity.

Keywords: Iconography, Hoysaḷa Architecture, Āgamas, Śilpaśāstras, Pañcarātra.