From the eleventh to the thirteenth century, the Hoysala dynasty dominated the area in the southern section of the state of Karnataka.
Dorasamudra is today known as Halebid, and it is a hamlet located sixty miles north and west of the city of Mysore.
The location is recognized for a remarkable collection of temples, including the Hoysaleshvar Temple, which is devoted to the deity Shiva in his incarnation as Lord of the Hoysalas.
The Hoysala temples were constructed of a specific kind of stone known as chlorite schist, steatite, or soapstone, which was soft when first mined but hardened with exposure to air.
This early brittleness made the stone easier to cut, allowing for the rich detail that distinguishes these temples.
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