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Centuries before mughals and maharajas were battling it out in the north, Hoysala King Vishnu Vardhana built the Keshava Temple. It lies just 35 km east of Mysore on a rutted and bumpy road that follows the Cauvery River.

This was the same guy that built temples in Belur and Halebid. (History buffs can take a look back at the October page to see a few shots of those sites.) Every square inch of the facade is covered with stone carvings.