Southern India Sees the Growth of Regional Imperial Formations

The Kakatiya, Hoysala and Seuna Yadava dynasties consolidate power across the Deccan region, filling the political vacuum left by the final decline of the Chola and Chalukya dynasties. The Pandyas establish themselves as the predominant power of the Coromandel coast. As regional imperial formations, the Kakatiyas establish their base at Warangal (in present-day Telangana); the Hoysalas at Dwarasamudra (present-day Halebidu, Karnataka); the Seuna Yadavas at Devagiri (present-day Daulatabad, Maharashtra); and the Pandyas at Madurai (in present-day Tamil Nadu). Each political entity patronises its own style of architecture, with the Hoysalas and the Kakatiyas adapting the Karnata Dravida (or Vesara) architectural mode with their own variations. 

The Hoysala mode is particularly notable for its extremely ornate sculpture and frequent use of star-shaped floor plans in their vimanas (towers). Unlike most medieval temples, Hoysala temples are inscribed with the names of their master craftsmen, including architects, sculptors, jewellers and carpenters, who come from all over peninsular India, suggesting that the sculptural arts are highly sought after by the court and considered a field for elite competition.