Home » Historical Places In Karnataka  »  Halebid

Halebid

Halebid

About:
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. If one stands on the platform of the temple and sees around he will see the hills opposite and two big bulls facing the temple and Ganesha figure on the south.
Halebid was known as Dwara Samudra, the wealthy capital of the Hoysalas. The great city of Dwarasamudra flourished as a Capital of the Hoysala Empire during the 12th & 13th centuries.
Formerly known as Dwarasamudra, Halebid is also referred as the Gem of Indian Architecture. Once the capital of the Hoysala Empire after Belur, Halebid is famous for the remnants of the glorious Hoyasala period and has one of the finest Hoysala temples.

Location info:
Address:Halebid is in Hassan district in Belur taluk, 16 km east of Belur and 34 km from Hassan.
District:Hassan district
Nearest City:Belur
Best time to visit: The best time to visit Halebid is between the months of October and February.

Climate/Weather of Halebid:
It has a tropical climate with hot summers (April-June), and cool winters (October-February). It experiences the southwestern monsoon rains from June to August.

History of Halebid:
Halebid flourished as the capital of the Hoysala Empire during the 12th & 13th centuries. During the reign of Veeraballala II, the grandson of Vishnuvardhana, it reached the pinnacle of its greatness and saw its fall in 1327 AD when it was conquered by Muhammad Bin Tughlaq. The Hoysaleswara temple was built during this time by Ketamala and attributed to Vishnuvardhana,[1] the Hoysala ruler. It enshrines Hoysaleswara and Shantaleswara, named after the temple builder Vishnuvardhana Hoysala and his wife, Queen Shantala.[2]

Then it was sacked by the armies of Malik Kafur in the early 14th century, after which it fell into a state of disrepair and neglect.[3] It is believed that Queen Shantala Devi, was an epitome of beauty and fashion, she was also a great Bharatnatyam dancer and musician. Sculptors were inspired by this and the Shilabalikas, the dancing figures, are models of Queen Shantala Devi and her courtisans. History of Hoysalas mentions Shantala Devi had great influence in the adminstration and religious reforms during Vishnuvardhana reign. She was follower of Jainism and the King follower of Sri Vaishnaism and was influenced by Saint Ramanuja Charya.

In the 14th century, this glorious city fell into ruins with the invasion of Malik Kafur, Mughuls, from the North India. This place was ran-sacked and plundered repeatedly rendering it in ruins. Hence its name Haledid, meaning " City in Ruins". Currently Halebidu is facing serious problems in decaying infrastructure, including a lack of basic amenities like toilets and drinking water.[4] The temples are said to be in a dilapidated state.[5]

Interesting things to do:
 

Interesting things to Visit:
Tourist Attractions
* Shiva Temples:
The twin Shiva Temple with a common platform have two garbhagrihas - one housing the Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleshwara Linga and the other Shanthaleshwara Linga.

* Hoysaleshwar Temple:
The construction of this temple started in 1121 AD, but never completed. This is a scriptural extravaganza, richly endowed with most finely detailed scrollwork in stone.

* Nandimantapa:
In front of the Hoysaleshwara is the Nandimantapa and behind that is a shrine of Surya with a 2-m-tall image. The place has a Parshwanatha basadi with highly polished pillars in which strange images of on-lookers are reflected.

* Museum of Archaeological Survey of India:
This museum is located in the temple premises displaying sculptures, woodcarvings idols, coins and inscriptions of 12th and 13th centuries.

* Kedareshwara Temple:
This is another monument built by Ketaladevi, Ballala II's Queen.

Mobile range info:
 

How to reach Halebid?
Nearest Railway Station:The nearest railhead is in Hassan.
Nearest Airport:The nearest airport is at Bangalore about 226 km away.
Road Transport:Halebid is well-connected by a network of roads to Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore. Regular buses ply from Hassan.

Nearest Visiting places in Halebid:
* Belur:
A famous temple town in Karnataka, Belur is especially renowned for the grand Hoysala Temple Complex. Also known as Dakshina Varanasi, Belur is located in Hassan district.

* Somnathpur:
Located 38 km from Mysore, the 13th century Keshava Temple in Somnathpur is the best-preserved most complete monument of Hoysala architecture.

Nearest Petrol Pump:
Belur

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation nearby Halebid:
Some of the major hotels in Halebid, offering a remarkable blend of tradition and modernity as well as a comfortable stay, are Hotel Hassan Ashok, Hotel Southern Star, Hotel Suvarna Regency, Hoysala Village Resort, etc.

Things to carry:
 

Tips & Suggestions for Halebid:
Fairs And Festivals Though there are no major fairs and festivals in Halebid, the Mahamastakabhisheka of the 17-m-high statue of Lord Bahubali (Gomateshwar) in Shravanbelgola after every 12 years is celebrated grandly. On this occasion, the statue is smeared with thousands of pots of coconut oil, yoghurt, ghee, bananas, jaggery, dates, almonds, poppy seeds, milk, saffron and sandalwood. This statue is said to be the tallest monolithic structure in the world.

Help Line/Phone Number:
Police Station:Belur
Nearest Hospital:Belur
Society/Community Phone Number

Halebid 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
Belur Archeology
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....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
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