Located close to the Bhadra River reservoir near Tarikere town on the NH206, Amruteshvara temple is set in an idyllic spot surrounded by palm coconut palm groves.
Amrutheshwara Dandanayaka a commandor under Hoysala King Veera Ballala II built this temple in 1196 CE.
The main highlight is the open mantapa (hall) with gleaming shining lathe turned pillars ,that looks very similar to the mantapa of Veera Narayana Temple, Belavadi. The tower has great resemblance with the Aghoreshwara temple of Ikkeri , though the later one is less ornate and also later period.
Over 140 panels 70 on each sides, located along the parapet wall outside depicts the story of Ramayana. On the south side the story proceeds counterclockwise in the south side panels- a deviation from the norms - while on the north side the the episodes are in the clockwise fashion, the typical Hoysala style. 25 panels depict the life of Lord Krishna while the rest of 45 panels depict episodes from Mahabharata.
Porch of Amruteshvara Temple at Amruthapura
Tower over the main shrine of Amruteshvara Temple at Amruthapura
The beauty of the Hoysala templs , particularly its intricate carvings owes a lot to one material - Soapstone. Unlike granite, sandstone and marble used in the construction of most of India's ancient monuments, soapstone is softer with some peculiar properties that set it apar from the former materials. To give you an idea , the softer version of the soapstone can be carved even with your finger nail.