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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

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