Vishnuvardhana’s son and successor Narasimha I, in 1160.
The temples have been classified as a dvikuta or a two-shrined
temples. In reality, the architects designed two identical temples
on a common platform attached internally along the north-south
axis of the pillared halls, each with monoliths of the Nandi bull.
The Hoysalas perfected the art of the frieze. They systematized
the arrangement of friezes in narrow horizontal bands; the
exquisite, carefully carved and complex designs cover miles of
surfaces in temples like the Hoysaleshwara. The recesses and
projections were so arranged as to catch and reflect light, enhancing
the beauty of the art.
Know before you go
Getting there:
• The nearest airports from Belur are at Mangalore (168
Kms) and Bangalore (232 kms). Halebeedu is 18 kms
from Belur on the route to Bangalore.
• The nearest railway station is Hassan (37 kms from
Belur).
• There are regular bus connections from Belur to
Hassan, Belgaum (424 Kms), Chickmagular (27 Kms),
Mysore (155 Kms) and many major towns.
• If you are driving, consider the road from Mangalore
via Dharmastala- Mudigere to Belur- a very beautiful
ghat road lined by waterfalls, hillside views and tea
estates. A drive from Bangalore to Belur is about four
and half hours long.
• KSTDC and many private companies organize heritage
tours to both towns, as they are difficult to reach by
public transport. You can choose from luxury coaches
to non a/c buses and minivans.
Accommodation:
The low cost hotels at Belur and Halebeedu are of poor
quality. Hassan has better stay options.
At the temples:
• A parking fee is applicable for your private vehicles or
taxis, outside both temples.
• The temples are open to visitors from 7:30 a.m to 5:30
p.m
• Government approved local guides are available.
Shop:
There aren’t many options for shopping in these temple
towns. However, you can bring back stone or bronze
statuettes fas souvenirs.
Nearby:
• Complete your brief heritage tour of southern
Karnataka through Dharmastala - Belur - Halebidu Shravanabelagola.
• Chikmagalur (27 Km from Belur) - A less crowded
alternative to Coorg with coffee plantations and
verdant forests with hills and streams around.
• Dharmastala (98 kms enroute to Mangalore) - A
renowned pilgrimage centre for the Manjunatha
Swamy temple.
68 Travel Secrets September-October 2015
These friezes take the worshipper into a world of mythological
content, depicting stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and
the Bhagvad Gita. You can also see rows upon rows of elephants,
lions, horses and swans - and not one design is repeated
mechanically. Look closely for stories of creation depicting the
Gods churning the ocean of milk to get amrit or soma, the elixir
of immortality; there is another showing the battle between
monkey warriors and brothers Sugriva and Bali, the latter killed
by Lord Rama’s arrow to protect the younger sibling. The death
of Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna, is depicted from the famous battle
of Mahabharata as are others battles from the epic. Each of these
convey a certain energy, seeming for real much to the credit of
the sculptors.
The temple complex also has an impressive museum in three
parts; two of these are open air galleries. Exhibits include wall
sculptures, friezes, lintel units, inscribed pedestals, miniature
figurines, gold coins, copper plates and wood carvings besides
other excavations from around the area. Sculptures include
different forms of Shiva (Natraja, Bhairava etc.) and Vishnu
(Madhava, Keshava, Ugranarasimha, Krishna etc.) besides those
of dancing Parvati, Saraswati, Ganesha, Skandha, Brahma and of
many Yakshas, Yakshis and Jain Tirthankaras.
Most of the artists from the Hoysala period inscribed their
signature on the sculptures they created. While no specific
reasons are known, the most probable is pride in one’s work and
taking responsibility for their creations.
Belur
Even before reaching Halebeedu, the Hoysalas were busy building
beautiful temples in Belur.