Overview
Situated
in the Hassan district of Karnataka, the twin towns of Belur and Halebid (about
16 km from each other) are favoured destinations for discerning travellers,
historians, architecture lovers as well as art and crafts lovers. Belur and Halebid
are linked with great Hoysala Kingdom of South India that was famous for its
temple architecture. The Hoysala rulers have built a number of massive temples
in the region of Belur and Halebid. Highlights of Hoysala period temples are exquisitely
carved sculptures and pillars. Besides mythological tales, you can see the beautiful
figures of elephants, lions, horses, dancing ladies on the temple walls.
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| Belur and Halebid |
Fast Facts
Main Languages: Kannada
is widely spoken and used by the people of the towns. Basic English and Hindi are
also spoken by the locals.
When to Go: The
climate of Belur and Halebid usually remains pleasant most of the year expect
the summers (April to May) when the mercury soars above 40 degree Celsius. The
monsoon season brings rain in the towns during June to September. October to
March is considered the best time to visit Belur and Halebid.
Local Transport: Generally
tourists cover the temples and other attractions of Belur and Halebid on foot. Any
defined mode of local transport such as auto-rickshaw is not available in these
towns. Hire a private vehicle like car or taxi to explore the towns of Belur
and Halebid.
Currency: Indian
Rupee (INR) 1 USD is approximately 48 INR
Voltage: 230V /
50Hz
Time Zone: Indian
Standard Time (UTC +5:30)
Location: Hassan
district in the state of Karnataka
Nearest Metropolis: Bangalore
- 222 km away
Eating
Belur
and Halebid are not dotted with luxury restaurants or noted fast food joints.
You have to choose from whatever offered by the eateries of the temple towns. It
is better to dine in Hassan city, where the eating joints offer South Indian
dishes at reasonable rates. Rice is served as the main dish along with side
dishes. If you don’t wish to savour South Indian dishes, then it is better for
you to carry your own food.
Shopping
Shopping
in Belur and Halebid revolves around locally manufactured objects including
traditional crafts of Karnataka. You can find interesting items offered by temporary
stalls or hawkers around the towns. Hassan en-route to Belur and Halebid is a fine
place to buy curios, stone sculptures, terracotta items, silk sarees,
sandalwood, ivory brassware and wooden toys. You can buy these items as souvenir
for yourself or near and dear ones.
Sightseeing
Temples
are the major attractions of the twin towns of Belur and Halebid that are known
for their excellent architecture and exquisite sculptures. In fact, the temple
art in Belur and Halebid war promoted by the rulers of Hoysala dynasty. Most of
the temples in the towns and nearby areas were made from a special material
called ‘steatite’ that is soft and easy to work. Although centuries have been
passed since the construction of the temples, but even today they fascinate the
visitors with their unparalleled beauty. Once you visit the temples of Belur
and Halebid town, you will surely be amazed and would praise the brilliant
works of artisans. The Chenakeshava Temple (Belur) along with Hoysaleswara
Temple (Halebid) and the Jain monuments at Shravanabelagola have been proposed
as world heritage sites to UNSECO.
You
can begin your temple tour from any temple in Belur or Halebid as all will
surely please you equally. However, it is better to start from Chennakeshava
Temple complex in Belur that took around 103 years to get completed. Dedicated
to Lord Vishnu, Chennakeshava Temple is noted for its intricate details,
beautifully carved sculptures over the temple walls. You can also see the
scenes from the great epics, sensuous dancers (Shilabalikas), lions, and horses
and elephants fighting in war in detail on the temple stones. Inside the temple
complex there are many ornate pillars including a popular attraction ‘Darpana
Sundar’ (Lady with the mirror) carved on the walls of the temple. Besides the
main temple, also visit other two small temples of Hoysalas, namely Virnarayan
Temple and Chennigaraya Temple that also have intricate carvings as Chennakeshava
Temple.
After
covering the temples and major attractions of Belur, head towards the temple
town of Halebid (16 km), which is equally popular and deserves a visit. Once
the capital of the Hoysalas, Halebid is not well preserved like Belur and
destroyed in the early 14th century by the Delhi Sultanate. Visit the
Hoysalehwara Temple complex that houses Hoyasaleshawara and Kedareshwara
temples. Hoysaleshwara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and has two monolithic
sculptures of Nandi bulls at the entrance. The temple dating back to the 1121 A.D
is known for its sculptural details and wall carvings that describe tales from
Hindu mythology. You will also find the impressive figures of dancing ladies
(Shilabalikas), animals and birds on temple walls.
Close
to the temple, Sravanabelagola (Gomateshwara Temple) also deserve a visit
during Belur and Halebid trip. One of the famous Jain pilgrimage centre in
South India, Gomateshwara Temple is set atop Indragiri hill (3,000 feet above
sea level) and known for its colossal monolithic 57 feet high statue of
Gomateshwara. You can reach the temple by climbing 614 rock-cut steps and enjoy
a splendid view of the surroundings. The temple complex also has several small
size images Jain tirthankaras (revered Jain teachers). In fact, there are 15
Jain bastis (temples) and mathas (monasteries) in the twin towns and on
Chandragiri Hill.
Activities
Belur
and Halebid are small historic towns and don’t have fun & amusement parks,
entertainment centre or other happening places. However, you can pass leisure
moments by taking walks along the tranquil streets of the towns. Also visit the
temples and other attractions of these towns on foot. Spend hours in getting
understating the architecture style of Hoysala temples including sculptures and
delicate carvings.
Events
Due
to small population, the towns of Belur and Halebid celebrate very few
festivals and events every year. However, the people in and around the towns
celebrate most of religious as well as South Indian festivals. Basically a
dance festival, Hoysala Mahotsava is organised against the magnificent backdrop
of Hoyasala temples. Skilled dancers from the towns and nearby areas participate
in dance performances. During the event a massive chariot is also pulled
through the streets of Belur town, which is joined by thousands of people. Mahamastakabhishekam
Festival is another noted festival of Belur and Halebid, which is held once in
every 12 years at Gomateswara Temple. Locals bath the image of Gomateswara in milk,
curds, ghee, saffron and gold coins during the festival.
Nightlife
Nightlife
doesn’t exist in the towns of Belur and Halebid. Usually the twin towns get
deserted as the dark progresses after sunset. So, don’t look for nightlife
options in Belur and Halebid, and enjoy as much as possible in the broad day
light.
Excursions
Along
with base town Hassan, you can cover many popular cities of Karnataka during
your Belur and Halebid tours. Mysore (155 km), Mangalore (165 km) and Bangalore
(222 km) are some of the popular cities that you can explore by taking two to
three days trips. All these cities have many places of tourist interesting
including historic monuments and modern attractions as well.
Getting There
Air: The nearest airports from
Belur and Halebid are located in Bangalore (222 km) and Mangalore (165 km). Both these airports are well-connected
with major cities of India. From these airports, you can hire a private vehicle
(taxi / car) to reach Belur and Halebid.
Rail: Hassan Railway Station is the
nearest railhead from Belur and Halebid.
Many trains connect Hassan Railway Station with Mysore, Bangalore,
Mangalore and other places of the country. Buses ply at regular intervals from
Hassan to Belur and Halebid.
Road: Good roads connect Belur and
Halebid with Hassan, a major city close to the twin towns. KSTDC (Karnataka
State Transport Development Corporation) offers bus services to Hassan, Belur
and Halebid from Bangalore, Mangalore, Mysore and other cities of Karnataka. You
can also use Arasikere town as a base to visit Belur and Halebid towns. Besides
buses, Belur and Halebid are easily accessible by cars and taxis from nearby major
cities.
Driving directions: From Bangalore – Start
from Brigade Road and after crossing Richmond Road, Fort Road hit Sri Narsimha
Rao Road (SH 17). Further take the Mysore Road Flyover and move on Mysore Road
(SH 17) till you reach Tumkur Road (NH 4). After crossing NH 48 and SH 57 you
will reach Hassan, which located at close distance from Belur and Halebid (222
km, 6 hours approx).
From Mangalore – Begin your journey
from NH 17 and take a turn on Falnir Road (NH 48). Take a left on NH 13 and
further switch onto SH 58 to reach Belur and Halebid (165 km, 4 hours approx).
Recommended for:
Suitable
for all types of travellers such as singles / couples / friends / single woman
/ senior travellers and family with children
Top 5 Must See
Chennakeshava
Temple: Built in 1117 AD by Hoysala ruler Vishnuvardhana the temple is filled
with delicately carved sculptures of elephants, dancers and episodes from the
epics.
Hoysaleshwara
Temple: Dedicated to Lord Shiva popular for its two shrines in the Linga, and
exquisite figures of the sacred bull ‘Nandi’.
Gomateshwara
Temple: One of the most popular pilgrimage centres of Jains in South India,
known for the massive statue of Gomateswara and many smaller images of Jain
tirthankaras.
Kappe
Chennigraya Temple: Constructed by Shantaladevi, queen of King Vishuvardhana in
Belur.
Virnarayan
Temple and Chennigaraya Temple: Situated in Chennakeshava Temple complex, these
temples have beautiful sculptures.
