Photo 212/6(16)

Inscription: Numbered '466' in the negative.

Genre: Architectural Photography

Close view of sculptural detail at the base of the north side of the tower of the Chennakeshava Temple at Belur. Lyon's 'Notes to accompany a series of photographs prepared to illustrate the ancient architecture of Southern India' (Marion and Co., London, 1870), edited by James Fergusson, gives the following description of this photograph: '466 - represents exactly the opposite side of the temple from that shown in 456 [print 6] and in 464 [print 14]. It shows in detail the whole northern façade of the base of the tower, the third small pavilion, and the projecting angle of the great porch on the left hand. It shows also the lower part of the pyramid, but this has been so frequently and so coarsely whitewashed, that it is now sadly in disaccord with its base, as is also the rough stone porch seen below, which it need hardly be said is a modern addition.

The subjects of all these sculptures are easily recognisable as the Avatars of Vishnu, or scenes from legends connected with his religion, but which have seldom been so beautifully represented as in this place.

In fact, whether we look to its form and its completeness, or to the exquisite finish of its detail, this temple is, as a whole, perhaps the most perfect and beautiful example of its style. It is not so large as that at Hallabeed, which comes next in this series, nor is the material equal to that of the contemporary white marble temples at Mount Abu, but on a whole, it is a gem which, so far as are yet known, is unrivalled in India.'