Sri Someshwara Temple, Kolar

This temple is located at a walkable distance from the Kolaramma Temple. Its built after the Kolaramma temple and is ornate and big in size too. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple complex has one high stone gateway with stucco tower over it. Its a typical dravidian style tower with elephants, horses, squatting lions and female figures.

The temple complex includes a Yaga Shaale, Vasantha Mantapa, Kalyana Mantapa and the Parvati temple. The Yaga shaale is in dilapidated state and is closed down now.

Vasantha Mantapa @ Sri Someshwara Temple

The Kalyana mantapa situated to the south-west is an exquisitely beautiful compact structure well known for intricate workmanship on granite. If you visit this temple, don’t miss to check this structure. The color of the stone used to built the Kalyana mantapa is black. It is different from the stone used for the construction of other components of the temple.

The Someshwara temple is an ornate temple of the typical dravidian style. The temple is assignable to the early Vijayanagara period, constructed during the 14th century A.D.
It is known for a high stone Mahadwara and tall brick and stucco tower over it. The temple has a Garbhagriha, a large Sukanasi and a Navaranga(assembly hall) and a large pillared Mukhamantapa all enclosed by a cloistered prakara.
The Adhistana of the main temple is treated with the conventional mouldings of a Pada, Adhokumuda, a Tripattakumuda, a small Kantha and an Adhokumuda. Interestingly, the adhokumuda mouldings are treated with friezes of elephants, playing dwarfs, squatting lions. The bhitti of the main temple is elaborately decorated with kumbha pilasters in the recesses and slender pilaster turrets and the corners of the walls with double pilasters. The sanctum wall at cardinal directions have Devakoshtas flanked by two slender pilaster turrets. The pillars of the Mukhamantapa have lion brackets. The Kalyana mantapa situated to the south-west is an exquisitely beautiful compact structure well known for intricate workmanship on granite. The small shrine towards north-west is dedicated to the consort of the main deity Shiva. Dravida sikhara of moderate size one provided over the garbhagriha of both the shrines. Yagasala is situated to the north-east is much altered.