Why in news?  Hoysala period inscriptions, sculptures discovered in Mandya district.

Highlights:

• Researchers have discovered inscriptions and sculptures from the 12th and 13th centuries in Ragimuddenahalli, Pandavapura taluk.

What are the discoveries done ?

• The area was a religious centre of Shaivism in the Hoysala period.
• People here worshipped Bhairavis, which is generally more common in Central India, including in Odisha.
• Found sculptures of ‘Aasithaanga Bhairava’, ‘Aathmabali’ and a rare yogini sculpture of ‘Yaakini’ sculpted in soap stones under a mango tree
• Significant discovery is a sculptural panel of Saptamatrikas a the ruins of an Ishwara temple.

Cultural significance

• The inscription is in Kannada language and indicates that father and son have created these sculptures.
• In the pedestal of sculptural panel of Bhairava, the name of the sculptor is mentioned as ‘Yarjochana maga Baichoja’.

About Hoysala period

• The Hoysala Empire was a Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of present Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries.
• Capital : Initially located at Belur, later moved to Halebidu.
• Hoysala rulers were originally from Malenadu, an elevated region in the Western Ghats.
• The empire is remembered for Hoysala architecture that include the Chennakeshava Temple in Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebidu, and the Chennakesava Temple in Somanathapura.
• Literature was flourished in Kannada and Sanskrit.