Karnataka Temples - Belur,Halebid, Shravanabelagola

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State

Karnataka


		Introduction
		Accommodation

State	Tamil Nadu

City	Madurai

Airports	Madurai

Distance from City Centre	12 Km/ 7 Mile

Railway Junctions	Madurai

Local Languages	Hindi,Tamil

Karnataka Temples - Belur ,Shravanbelagola , Halebid ,Pattadakal , Aihole

Channakeshva Temple - Belur

Belur, situated on the banks of river Yagachi, 38 km from Hassan, is a world famous tourist destination. Belur was the erstwhile capital of the Hoysalas and referred to as Velapur, Velur and Belahur at different points in history. The town is renowned for its Chennakeshava temple, one of the finest examples of Hoysala workmanship. The temple was consecrated by the famous Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana to mark his victories in 1116 AD against the Cholas and called the Vijaya Narayana

The temple architecture The Hoysalas used soft soapstone for their structures as they were found suitable for intricate carvings. Enclosed by a Prakara with a Gopurabuilt in the Vijayanagar style, the temple stands on a platform or Jagati and looks like a huge casket. The fine workmanship and skill visible in this masterpiece is truly breathtaking

The sculptural extravaganza The Chennakesava temple is a fine example of fine quality work of art in stone There are more than 80 Madanika sculptures in the temple, dancing, hunting, standing under canopies of trees and so on. The 4 Madanika figures (striking elegant dancing poses) on the wonderfully engraved columns of Navaranga are unique creations of Hoysala workmanship. The Garbhagriha is stellar in shape and its zigzag walls make the figures of 24 forms of Vishnu look different at different times of the day due to light. The temple was built by master craftsmen - Dasoja and Chavana, a father and son duo, hailing from Balliganve, a centre of Kalyana Chalukya art in Shimoga district.

It is said that Shantaladevi, the accomplished queen of King Vishnuvardhana is the model for one of the sculptures in the Vavaranga - Darpana Sundari. This work of art alone, speaks for the beauty of the magnificient temple.

The temples of Kappe Chennigaraya, Soumyanayaki, Andal and other Vaishnava manifestations surround this main temple. Belur also has a samadhi believed to be of Raghavanka, the celebrated Kannada poet of the 13th century.

How to reach

It is about 38 Km from Hassan. Regular Bus services and tourist taxies are available from Hassan

Shravanabelagol - Gommateshward Bahubali

Shravanabelagola nestled by the Vindhyagiri and Chandragiri hills, protected by the monolith Bhagawan Bahubali and home of 2300 years of lain heritage - is a veritabk picture post card of history spanning centuries.
The verdant natural beauty for Shravanabelagola, with the swaying coconut trees and natural water bodies, bear testimony to the legendary mental strength of Tyaga (renunciation) and the soft tender message of Ahimsa (non violence) that embody the lain way of life.It is little wonder then that over centuries.

Shravanabelagola should became the hoary `Tapobhumi� of kings and monks alike, and more recently attract tourists, pigrimsl and others with an eye far beauty, an ear for history and a mind for peace alike

Described by historians as the closest man has ever got to sculpt `Manmatha` or the mythical Lord of Love the 57 feet tall Gommateshwara Bahubali is magnificent and munificent alike - Magnificent in form and valour, Munificent in prayer and deed. This Son of the first of the twenty four Jain serene, is worshipped for great qualities he made his own in all stages of his life viz., conception, birth, renunciation, enlightenment and salvation. Gorgeous, that is his external appearance. Grand and Illuminating that is his purity for soul, attained by his victory over angel greed and pride, making him the hallowed and revered symbol oi legendary seeker of truth

Shravanabelagola is a photographer�s delight. The unquenched thirst one develops after capturing Lord Bahubali on film at Vindhyagiri Is further deepened by inscriptions. And sculptures that virtually speak history dating back to Indus Valley Civilization; and much more

The Mahamasthakabhisheka, the head anointing ceremmy of the Lord Gommateshwara Sri Bahubali observed once every 12 years in Jain Dharmic cycle is an Integral part of ancient and composite Indian tradition. The ceremony of 2006 is the 87 of the series that commenced in the year 981 -12 Hundreds of devotees and tourists from different parts The world would be participating in the ceremony being held over a span of 12 days, for the first time ever

Halebeed - Belur/Karnataka

Halebeed temple is another great example of temple architecture the twin temples of Hoysaleshwara, Kedareshwara built by Vishnuvardhana and Ballala-II at Halabeed. Sequences from Ramayana, Mahabharatha & Bhagavatha are depicted on the outer walls of these temples. The efficiency and experience of the sculpture, who had carved these stories in stone is bewitching.

Hoysalaeswara Temple standing on a platform like a casket, richly endowed with most finely detailed scroll work in stone. Inside its dark depths, the queen Shantala Devi beckons from an alcove. The figure of mortals and immortals are larger compared to Belur and are beautifully chiseled, in shining black stone. The walls of the temples are covered with variety of gods and goddesses, animals , birds and dancing girls. There is a museum on the lawn with 12-13th century sculpture and the gold coins in use at the time. The temple faces a large tank which was built in the middle of the 11th century and received water through channels from an ancient anecut (dam) built over the Yagachi river.

The Hoysaleswara temple, dating back to the 1121 C.E., is astounding for its wealth of sculptural details. The walls of the temple are covered with an endless variety of depictions from Hindu mythology, animals, birds and Shilabalikas or dancing figures. Yet no two sculptures of the temple are the same. This magnificent temple guarded by a Nandi Bull was never completed, despite 86 years of labour. The Jain basadi nearby are equally rich in sculptural detail.Belur and Halebid are 222 and 216 km from Bangalore, respectively. This temple is now being proposed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Kedreshwara temple where the sculptor's virtuosity seems to have surpassed even the goldsmith's skill in its sheer intricacy.

One Km from Halebeed is Basti Hill where there are Jain Basties with gleaming black stone pillars.

How to Reach

Halebeed is 17 Km from Belur and 30 Km from Hassan. Regular bus services and Taxies are available both from Hassan and Belur.

Pattadakal

The tiny village of Pattadakal is situated on the banks of the Malaprabha river. Referred to as Petrigal by Ptolemy, Pattadakal was later known variously as Raktapura (Red Town) & Pattadakal Kisuvolal . This place reached its pinnacle of glory under the Chalukyas from the seventh to the ninth centuries functioning as a royal commemorative site. The group of about ten temples, surrounded by numerous minor shrines & plinths, represents the climax of early Western Chalukyan Architecture. King Vikramaditya II (734 - 745 AD) and his art loving queens Lokmahadevi & Trailkyamahadevi, brought sculptors from Kanchipuram to create fantasies in stone in Pattadakal .

Jambulinga Temple

Another small temple with a fine figure of the Dancing Shiva with Nandi & Parvathi by his side. Built with a northern style tower, there is a horse-shoe arched projection on its facade.

Virupaksha Temple

The Mallikarjuna & the Virupaksha temples were built by two queens of Vikaramaditya II to commemorate the victory of the Chalukyas over the Pallavas. As the Virupaksha temple was built by Queen Lokamahadevi, it was originally called Lokeshwara. The temple is rich in sculpture like those of Lingodbhava, Nataraja, Ravananugraha & Ugranarasimha. Built in the southern Dravida style, it is the largest temple in the enclosure.

Jain Temple

Half a Kilometer from the enclosure, on the Pattadakal-Badami Road, is this Jain temple built in the Dravidian style. It has some very beautiful sculpture & probably dates from the ninth century.

Galaganath Temple

Built of sandstone, the tower is in the northern "Rekhanagara" style. The temple was probably never completed. It contains a beautiful sculpture of Shiva in the act of killing the Andhakasura

Sanghameswara Temple

Perhaps the oldest temple in Pattadakal, it was built by King Vijayaditya ( 696-733 AD) & was called Vijayewara after him. Now called Sangameshwara, the temple is built in Dravidian style & consists of a sanctum, inner passage & a hall. There are sculptures on the outer wall like those of Ugranarasimha & Nataraja.

Kada Siddeshwara Temple

This small temple, built in the North Indian style, consists of shrine & a hall. There is a fine sculpture which depicts Shiva holding a serpent & trident in his raised arms with Parvathi by his side.

Malikarjuna Temple

Built by Trailokyamahadevi, the queen of Vikramaditya II (734-745AD), it was originally called Trailokeshwara Temple. It is similar to the Virupaksha Temple but smaller in size. The ceiling has panels of Gajalakshmi & Nataraja with Parvathi. Pillars in the temple depict the birth & life of Krishna. There are sculptures of Mahishasuramardini (very similar to the one in Mamallapuram) & Ugranarasimha

Papanatha Temple

Just outside the enclosure is this ornate temple built about 680 AD. This was an early attempt to develop the northern style of architecture, which was later abandoned in favour of the more balanced Dravidian or Pallava style. It contains impressive sculpted scenes from Ramayana & Mahabharatha

Aihole

Once the capital of the early Chalukyan dynasty (6^th to 8^th centuries), Aihole is a picturesque village on the banks of the Malaprabha river. Variously called Ayyavole & Aryapura in the inscriptions, Aihole is historically famous as the cradle of Hindu temple architecture. There are about 125 temples divided into 22 groups scattered all over the villages and nearby fields. Most of these temples were built between the 6^th & 8^th centuries and some even earlier

Durga Temple
The temple derives its name from Durgadagudi meaning 'temple near the fort'. Dedicated to Vishnu, the temple appears to be a Hindu adaptation of the Buddhist chaitya (hall) with its apsidal end. Standing on a high platform with a 'rekhanagara' type of Shikhara, it is the most elaborately decorated monument in Aihole. The columns at the entrance and within the porch are carved with figures and ornamental relief's. The temple appears to be a late 7^th or early 8^th century construction

Ladh Khan Temple

The experimental nature of temple building by the Chalukyas is best elaborated in the Ladh Khan Temple, located south of the Durga Temple. Not knowing how to build a temple, they built it in the Panchayat hall style. The windows were filled up with lattice work in the northern style and the sanctum was added later on. The sanctum is built against the back wall and the main shrine has a Shivalinga along with a Nandi. Above the center of the hall, facing the sanctum, is a second smaller sanctum with images carved on the outer walls. The temple, built about 450 AD, gets its name from a Muslim prince who converted it into his residence

Meguti Temple

The only dated monument in Aihole, the Meguti Temple was built atop a small hill in 634 AD. Now partly in ruins, possibly never completed, this temple provides an important evidence of the early development of the Dravidian style of Architecture. The inscription dating the monument is found on one of the outer walls of the temple and records its construction by Ravikeerti, who was a commander & minister of Pulakesin II. Apparently a Jain Temple as seen from the seated Jain figure here, the superstructure rising above the sanctum wall of the temple is not original & the 16-columns porch and hall extension are later additions

Ravanphadi Cave
Located south-east of the Hucchimalli Temple, this rock-cut temple is assigned to the 6th century. The sanctum in there are wall is larger than these in Badami cave temples and it is provided with a vestibule flanked by carved panels, entered through a triple entrance. Despite the variety of images found here, the Mahishasuramardhini, the great Dancing Shiva linga with Ganesha and sapta-matrikas and the linga inside the sanctum an overall Shiva application

Hucchimalli Temple

This appears to be one of the earliest groups of temples in Aihole, located to the north of village behind the Tourist Home. The sanctum has a northern style "Rekhanagara" tower over it. The vestibule in front of the sanctum was introduced for the first time here

Gowda Temple

Close to Ladh Khan Temple & built in the similar lines, the Gowda Temple was dedicated to Bhagavati. Standing on a high molded base and having about 16 fairly plain pillars, this temple was probably built even earlier.

Surayanarayana Temple

Located to the north-east of Ladh Khan Temple, the sanctum of this temple has a 0.6 meter high icon of Surya along with his two consorts Usha & Sandhaya, being drawn by horses. The temple, dating from the 7th - 8th centuries, has a four pillared inner and a 'Rekhanagara' tower over the sanctum

Konti Group of Temples
Situated in the middle of bazaar, the earliest of these temples was probably built in the 5th century. The first temple has panels of Bramha, Shiva & a reclined Vishnu on the ceiling.