TRAVEL GUIDE

Belur is 222 km from Bangalore, a drive of about 4 hours, and Halebid is another 16 km away. There are direct buses and a daily train from Bangalore to Hassan, 40 km away – a one hour drive from Belur. You can cover the distance from Belur to Halebid by bus, taxi, autorickshaw or by hiring a bicycle. Coach tours and car rentals are a good way of doing Belur and Halebid from Bangalore. The entire circuit of Bangalore-Belur-Halebid-Bangalore can be done in a day.

Best time to go

Though you can visit these temple towns at any time of the year, its best to come here in winter when the weather is at its mildest. Winter temperatures are 14ºC to 28ºC and in summer it is 25ºC to 35ºC. Carry caps, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a water bottle as it gets very hot during the day. 

Room with a view

Some very basic accommodation is available at Belur, while Halebid has a state tourism motel. Most people prefer to stay at Hassan, which has decent hotels. Simple food is available at the restaurants.

Eloquence in stone

From Bangalore

Come to the twin temple towns of Belur and Halebid for a glimpse of Hindu temple art at its glorious best. In the 16th century, Belur-Halebid (both towns are spoken of in the same breath) were at the heart of the throbbing Hoysala empire. The Hoysalas were huge patrons of art and architecture and built massive temples that have survived the ravages of time. Some of the sculptures are so exotic, erotic and eloquent - that you expect them to speak or move.

The most outstanding temple in Belur is the Chenakeshava, a monumental edifice that took 103 years to build, possibly because of the intricate details and the myriads of friezes and sculptures that embellish the temple walls. Scenes from the epics, elephants in battle and sensuous dancers come alive in stone. The 42 'madanikas' or celestial dancers were inspired by Queen Shantaladevi, who is said to have epitomized beauty. The Hoysala architects had an eye for detail and such wizardry with their chisels that the earrings on the lobes of the dancers can rotate and beads of perspiration glisten in the hair of some.

Two other minor temples from the Hoysala dynasty are the Virnarayan and the Chennigaraya temples - smaller, but as intricately sculpted as the Chenakeshava.

About 16 km away from Belur is Halebid, the other temple town, equally magnificent but not as well preserved. Halebid was the capital of the Hoysalas till it was destroyed in the early 14th century after attacks by the Delhi Sultanate. The Hoysaleshwara temple survived the pillage but it somehow managed to remain incomplete even after 87 years of uninterrupted construction. The temple is dedicated to Shiva and has two enormous Nandi bulls at the entrance.

The temples of Belur and Halebid were made of steatite, a material that is easy to work on, soft initially but hardening after prolonged exposure. The Hoysalas promoted temple art to such a degree that the artists actually left their signatures on their work. The sculptures are unparalleled in their beauty; in fact, as a challenge to their art, the sculptors left a small blank space on the revolving Narasimha pillar, to be filled in by anyone who has the talent. The space remains blank till today.