Not far from Mysore, the Keshava temple at Somnathpur, built in the 13th century by the Hoysala dynasty, is the lesser known cousin of the more famous temples from the same era at Belur and Halebid. I was there on a Sunday morning and found that I had the temple to myself for almost an hour. No tourists, no vendors, no noise, only the quiet stillness of history. It is perhaps the cool smoothness of the soapstone, or the lazy breeze from the Cauvery nearby, but the premises of this temple are always cool, even in the heat of the day.  

Situated on the banks of the river Cauvery, it is believed that this temple was built by Somnath, the general of the Hoysala army to commemorate his victory in war. At first glance, the Somnathpur temple seems slightly underwhelming, especially to those who have seen other grander South Indian temples. However, the beauty of the place slowly sinks in, as it did with me as I sat on the steps watching the leisurely trickle of visitors. Squat in shape and without a towering gopura, this temple is still every bit as intricate as the others; in fact, some would hold that Somnathpur has the best of the carvings among temples of this dynasty.