The temple complex is within a seven feet high
praakara (compound), almost a 115 feet square. It had a dwara-mantapa to its west and a dwarashobha to its east, but these along with the original compound decoration is now missing except for the door frames and the mantapa-like structure. The temple does not stand on a
jagati (platform). Three of the
vimanas (shrines) have a common square
mantapa (hall). The fourth
vimana, one at the north and dedicated to Kali, is connected to the
mantapa via an oblong extension. The extension has two lateral entrances into the temple, one from east, the other west. The
vimanas have their original
phamsana-style tower (superstructure) intact. These illustrate the
Kadamba Nagara architecture. Of the nine shrines in this complex, eight vimanas are simple
phamsana and symmetric within each set. The ninth vimana that opens to the east is different – it is a tritala (three storey) superstructure and is dedicated to goddess Lakshmi, thus making her the primary deity and giving this temple its dedicatory name. The Hoysala emblem (the sculpture of a legendary warrior "Sala" fighting a lion) is mounted atop one of the
Sukanasi. According to art critic Gerard Foekema, overall the temple has shows the pre-Hoysala elements of architecture. There is only one
eaves running round the temple where the main towers meet the wall of the shrine. At the base of the wall of the shrines are five
moldings; between the moldings and the eaves, the usual panels of Hoysala sculptures depicting
Hindu gods,
goddesses and their attendants is however missing. Instead, the entire space is taken up by decorative miniature towers on pilasters (called
aedicule). The main shrine facing east has a image of the goddess
Lakshmi with an attendant on either side. The image holds Vishnu's icons – a conch in the upper right hand, a
chakra (discuss) in the upper left, a rosary in the lower right, and a
mace in the lower left. In the shrines facing north, south and west respectively are the images of
Kali (a form of
Durga), the god
Vishnu, and
Boothanatha Linga (the universal symbol of the god
Shiva). A sculpture of
Tandaveswara (dancing Shiva) exists in the circular panel at the center of the ceiling of the
mantapa. Other notable artwork are those of
Gajalakshmi (form of
Lakshmi with elephants on either side), Tandaveshwara and
Yoganarasimha (
avatars of
Vishnu) found on the doorway of the temple. ==Gallery==