How the Somapalem temple stands as a testimony to the Vijayanagara architectural splendour

Where history meets architecture

Somapalem, a small village about 45 km from Madanapalle in Andhra Pradesh, is home to a spectacular Vishnu temple belonging to the Vijayanagara period, dedicated to Chennakesava. Though the temple may have existed earlier, it was in the reign of the Vijayangara rulers of the 16th century that much of the temple, as seen today, was constructed. It has several features similar to other Vijayanagara era temples such as the famous Virabhadra Swami temple in Lepakshi, and the Chintala Venkataramana Swami and Ramalingeshwara temples in Tadipatri. It appears that the Somapalem temple was constructed by chieftains of the region, although there are no inscriptions to authenticate this. It is a protected monument under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India.

At the entrance to the temple’s enclosure (prakaram), visitors can see a tall (more than 50 ft high) and majestic monolithic deepa-stambha (lamp post) installed on a huge stone platform. Deepa-stambhas are commonly seen in many temples of South India, as lamps were lit atop them to illuminate the surroundings in pre-electricity days. The platform is covered with sculptures including a man dancing and holding a musical instrument like a veena in his left hand; a comic character; and a lady holding a fly-whisk. Creepers have been intricately carved on all four sides of the vertical stone shaft.

A mutilated gopuram stands at the entrance, to the right of which is a small mandapam which has carvings of the donors to the temple. Portrait sculptures of kings and chieftains are commonly seen in structures constructed in the Vijayangara era and these men in the Somapalem temple were probably chieftains as they wear tall conical crowns, characteristic of royalty of those times, many ornaments, and daggers tucked at the waist into the pleated lower garments. They have their palms pressed together in supplication to Chennakesava.

The main temple is entered through the gopuram, leading to the inner prakaram with a large maha mandapa in which is located a sanctum for Garuda. This shrine has been designed like a chariot (ratha), a peculiarity of the Vijayangara architecture as seen in the famous Vitthala temple in Hampi, the erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagara dynasty and the Chintala Venkataramana Swami temple in Tadipatri. The numerous pillars of the maha mandapa are studded with sculptures of various forms and incarnations of Vishnu, but it is the ceiling that is of special importance here, covered as it is with magnificent murals depicting episodes from the Ramayana, painted 500 ago. These paintings, in subtle organic colours and stylistically typical of this era, are similar to the more famous and better-preserved ones in Lepakshi. Though these murals are unfortunately in a dismal condition, some scenes such as Rama attacking Tataka with Lakshmana behind him and Sage Vishwamitra giving instructions, are still fairly clear. Scholars have identified the scene of King Dasaratha with Kaikeyi and have also pointed out the similarity between the long and conical crown of Dasaratha in these paintings with those worn by Vijayangara royalty. Many of the garments seen in these murals are of Kalamkari style. Further inside is the main sanctum housing the standing image of Chennakesava holding the sankha and chakra.

The ornate kalyana mandapa has multiple intricately carved pillars and a raised platform in the centre once used for celebrating the annual marriage ritual of Chennakesava and Lakshmi. The kalyana mandapas in many temples of South India belong to the Vijayanagara era and are examples of exquisite stone craftsmanship. Various forms of Vishnu, musicians and dancers are sculpted on the pillars of the Chennakesava temple, but it is the intricate carvings of floral designs, elephants and hamsas, some as tiny as a couple of inches in height, on the base of the central platform are a sight to behold. The capitals of the pillars have full-blown lotuses hanging down and not the lotus buds which are usually seen on the top of Vijayanagara pillars. Tiny parrots have been carved hanging upside down on the lotus petals and pecking at them. Near the kalyana mandapa are a few small shrines, some empty and a few with damaged images.

If the Chennakesava temple, even in this forlorn condition, could look so beautiful, one cannot but wonder how splendid it would have looked in its heyday.