Trip to Chikmagalur - Part I (Halebid)

October 1st we four families started for a short trip to Chikmagalur with a plan to visit Belur, Halebid and the places around Chikmagalur. We started from Bangalore in the evening and reached Hassan by midnight and stayed at a hotel. The next day we started off to Halebid.

Halebid was the capital of Hoysala kingdom. Hoysala kingdom was famous for its fine temple architecture. During the rule of king Vishnuvardhana Hoysala they built many temples which demonstrate the skilled craftsmanship of their architects. One of the examples of it is Hoysaleswara temple at Halebid. 

Hoysala the name has two parts “Hoy” and “Sala”. In old kannada language “Hoy” means hit/strike. “Sala” is the name of a young man who was instructed by his guru to kill the tiger. Hence the name Hoysala after this brave young man. The picture of Sala killing a tiger became the emblem of the Hoysala dynasty.

Halebid temple consists two temples on a single platform Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara. The former temple was built first in 12th century. It consists of numerous sculptures of Hindu deities, animals and birds. This temple is built with monolithic soapstone, which is naturally soft due to high talc content but gets gradually strong when it comes in touch with wind and heat. When the stone is soft carvings can be done easily so this stone is chosen for fine carvings. 

The temples have two big Nandis in front, one big Ganesha idol, and there is a big lake in front of the temple premise. Because of the Lake the place was called Dwarasamdura. The whole scenery is a treat to watch.

Distance: From Bangalore 220 Kms. From Hassan 33 Kms

Route: Bangalore->Jalahalli Cross-> Nelmangala->Hassan->Halebid

Stay: Hassan is the nearest place to stay overnight. Many budget hotels are available in Hassan.

To Buy: You can buy some hand made stone crafts that are sold near the parking for a good bargain.