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Belur

Belur

About:

Belur was the early capital of the Hoysala Empire. With Halebidu which is only 16 km away, this is one of the major tourist destinations in Karnataka, India. Belur is located in Hassan district. According to inscriptions discovered here, it was also referred to as Velapuri.Belur is the Chennakesava temple complex which contains the Chennakesava Temple ( dedicated to Lord Chennakeshava , meaning handsome Vishnu) as the centre piece, surrounded by the Kappe Chennigraya temple built by Shantaladevi, queen of king Vishnuvardhana.

There are two more shrines here that are still in use by devotees and there is a Pushkarni or stepped well to the right side of the main entrance. The Dravida style rayagopuram at the entrance which was a later addition by the Vijayanagar kings, who considered this deity as one of their Kuladevata or family god.

Location info:
Address:From Bangalore to Hassan 194 kms approx. & than to belur is 16 kms.
District:Hassan
Nearest City:Bangalore
Best time to visit: Between October and March

Climate/Weather:
Summer - Max. 35OC and Min. 20OC
Winter - Max. 28OC and Min. 14OC

History:
The temple is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture. It was built by king Vishnuvardhana in commemoration of his victory over the Cholas at Talakad in 1117 CE. Legend has it that it took 103 years to complete and Vishnuvardhana's grandson Veera Ballala II completed the task. The facade of the temple is filled with intricate sculptures and friezes with no portion left blank. The intricate workmanship includes elephants, lions, horses, episodes from the Indian mythological epics, and sensuous dancers (Shilabalikas). Inside the temple are a number of ornate pillars. Darpana Sundari ( Lady with the mirror ) carved on walls of Belur Temple is one of major attraction in complex.

Interesting things to do at Belur:
 

Interesting things to Visit at Belur:
 

Mobile range info:
 

How to reach?
Nearest Railway Station:Nearest Rail head is Hassan about 38 km. It is well connected to Bangalore, Mysore, and Mangalore by regular trains.
Nearest Airport:Bangalore International Airport and Mangalore International Airport are the nearest international airports to the city,The nearest airport is Mangalore 184 kms.
Road Transport:Belur is well connected with Hassan, Mysore, Mangalore and Bangalore by road

Nearest Visiting places:
1. Halebid
2. Shravanbelagola
3. Hiremagloor
4. Chennakesava Temple
5. Hoysaleswara temple

Nearest Petrol Pump:
Hassan

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:
Hotel Mayura Velapuri
Hotel Suvarna Regency
Sri Annapoorna Lodge
Traveller's Bungalow
Hotel Hassan Ashok
Sri Raghavendra Tourist Home
Sri Gayathri Bhawan
Hotel Southern Star

Things to carry:
 

Tips & Suggestions:
 

Help Line/Phone Number:
Police Station: Hassan-100
Nearest Hospital:Sri Chamarajendra Govt.Hospital & Red Furn Hospital in Hassan
Society/Community Phone Number

BELUR
 

CHENNAKESHAVA TEMPLE(1117/ Hindu)

This temple is 38 km away from Hassan from where both Belur and Halebid can be visited. It is on par with the Halebid temple, which is 16 km away. It was built by King Vishnuvardhana as a tribute to his victory aganist the Cholas. Halebid temple was built 10 years later. Chenna Keshava temple is a live temple and as such at the entrance there are a lot of buildings that makes Belur a temple town. Originally there were three other small shrines in the precincts. Maybe that is why the main shrine is a simple shrine + mandapa type. The main feature of the Hoysala style is that the plan is star shape and mandapa has a entrance from three sides. It is a pillared hall inside the huge precincts. Since the hall is covered with stone lattice is is dark. Nearby is a halebid-style shrine, the tower of which has collapsed. As in other Hoysala temples this temple is made of green crystal, which make the quality of the sculptures very high.

Belur Archeology Nearest Attraction
Ramanathapura Temples
The temples of Ramanathapura stand testimony to the architectural grandeur of the Chola and Hoysala ages, writes B M Ravi Bettasoge.Hassan brings to one's mind art, culture and history. It has made a name for itself as a tourist destination, a haven of art and as a strong inter-link between the past and the future....more
Shravanabelagola Temples
Shravanabelagola is one of the most popular Jain pilgrim centers located in the Hassan district of Karnataka state. Shravanabelagola is at a distance of 52 Kms from Hassan town, the headquarters of the Hassan district and 146 Kms from Bangalore. In Kannada (the state language), 'Bel' means white and 'kola' means the pond, an allusion to the beautiful pond in the middle of the town.Shravanabelagola is wedged between two rocky hills - Vindyagiri and Chandragiri. ....more
Halebid Archeology
The present day Halebid was earlier known as Dorasamudra. This was the capital of the Hoyasala kingdom, which became prominent in the Mysore area in the 12th-13th century after the Ganga dynasty. The fort and pa;ace no longer exist. Now it is a small village with a group of temples.....more
Shravanabelagola Archeology
Jainism was born in Bihar in East India. When there was a great famine it is said that saint Bahubali along with his followers, came to Karnataka. The ruler of the Murya empire of the time Chandragupta, who considered Bahubali a sint , followed him and also undertook a fast unto death to propagate non-voilance.....more
Belur Historical
Belur in Hassan district (222 kms from Bangalore and 38 kms from Hassan) is famous for its magnificent Hoysala Temple Complex. The Chennakeshava temple here was completed in 1116 by Hoysala Vishnuvardhana to commemorate his victory over the Chola.....more
Doddagadduvalli
About 16km (10 miles) from Hassan on the way to Belur is Doddagaddavalli, a village popular for the 12th century Lakshmi Devi temple.Doddagaddavalli is set in a scenic rural environment. According to the legends the temple was built in 1114 A.D. by a merchant called Kallahana Rahuta, a merchant or high officer in the Hoysala court.....more
Halebid Historical
Halebidu is located in Hassan district in Karnataka.Ketumalla, the chief of staff of Hoysala Kingdom, built this temple during 1121 A.D and attributed to his king, Vishnuvardhana and queen, Shantala Devi. Even then it is learnt that it took 105 years to complete.....more
Harnavalli Archeology
In the 13th century when the Hoysala kingdom was at the peak of it's power, a temple was constructed in every area, its detailed sculptures and decorations.....more
Shrvanabelogola Historical
Shravanabelagola is one of the most popular Jain pilgrim centers located in the Hassan district of Karnataka state. Shravanabelagola is at a distance of 52 Kms from Hassan town, the headquarters of the Hassan district and 146 Kms from Bangalore.....more
Koravangala Archeology
Koravangala is a store house of Hoysala architecture. This scenic village, earlier called Kora Mangala, is home to three Hoysala style temples of the 12th century. All the temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva....more
Hemavati River
The Hemavati River is a very important tributary of the Kaveri River. It starts in the Western Ghats at an elevation of about 1,219 metres[1] near Ballala rayana durga in the Chikmagalur District of the state of Karnataka, in southern India, and flows through Chikkamagalooru, Hassan District and Mysore district before joining the Kaveri near Krishnarajasagara....more
Bisle Ghat Hills
....more
Mosale Archeology
....more