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BELUR & HALEBIDU & SHRAVANABELAGOLA

























I was checking seats availability for   Karnataka temple tour from KSTDC, for my parents, and came across this 1 day trip to Belur-Halebidu-Shravabelagola from KSTDC.I  asked Ramesh to book   this 1 day trip for us while booking 4days  tour for my parents...(It was on different week-ends)....


We  decided to go on Saturday , so we can take rest on sunday.. Saturday, Dad dropped us to Badami centre(Pick up point of kstdc)  around 6:20am..We saw lot of  foreigners already seated. (No wonder to see so many foreigners to visit this  great historical site..) Bus started around 6:40am to  first destination of the day - Shravana Belagola..


On the way he stopped for breakfast in some  restaurant,  we were hesitant  about taste as it looked  very small restaurant, but food turned out to be tasty..We had Dosa and  Puri and great coffee...   I love to have coffee after  great breakfast...  We then continued our journey to  Shravana Belagola....



Destination 1 : SHRAVANABELAGOLA:

Shravana belgola is 142 kms from bangalore,  located in Hassan district of karnataka. The statue of Gommateshvara (Bahubali)  is important pilgrim for Jainism.Śravaṇa Beḷgoḷa has two hills, chandragiri and vindhyagiri.

We reached Shravana belagola around 10:00am.. Guide gave us 1hr time..  I was wondering if  1 hr is sufficient as we have to climb  650steps  of vindyagiri hills to reach the Bahubali idol..But  we climbed the hills in next  20mins..


650 steps to reach top of Vindya giri hills to see Bahubali idol...
                                     

Once you climb certain steps you can see  a Pond/kalyani, from which this place is said have got the name..( Bela gola means  "White pond" in kannada..) We could see couple of old people   who were carried in Dholi. (400rs per person)....



Pond seen, while climbing the steps..
                                      

 The 57-feet tall monolithic statue of Gommateshvara is located on Vindyagiri Hill. It is considered to be the world's largest monolithic stone statue.Every twelve years, thousands of devotees congregate here to perform the Mahamastakabhisheka (ceremony in which the statue is covered with milk, curds and stuff)... The next Mahamastakabhisheka will be held in 2018...



Huge feet of   Lord Bahubali idol...


We saw  huge monolithic statue of Bahubali, sat for a while, took some snaps and climbed down in next 15mins.. We  got   Tender coconuts, and it was  very sweet... By then all  passengers  returned, bus started to next  destination of the day.

                                               
57-feet tall monolithic statue of Gommateshvara

Destination 2 : HALEBIDU

Halebidu is around 90kms from Shravanabelgola, around 2hrs of journey... Halebidu  dedicated to  Hoysaleswara (Lord shiva) is built during Hoysala empire rule ,12th century by  king Vishnuvardhana. The construction was completed in 1121 CE.During the early 14th century, Halebidu was sacked and looted by muslim invaders from northern India and the temple fell into a state of ruin and neglect.

We reached Halebidu around  1:00pm.  Guide asked to come back by 2:30pm so we can have lunch before visiting Belur... A  kstdc designated guide  came along (charges 20rs per person) and  took us around  the complex explaining things in great details..



Us near  main entrance of temple....
                                      
Halebidu temple is mainly dedicated to  Lord Shiva named as Hoysaleshwara here.. Lord Nandi in front of Shiva is  made of a monolithic stone, Which is said to be  never completed, despite 86 years of labour. This Nandi in Halebidu is 7th Largest in India...


Lord Shiva named as Hoysaleshwara

   
Monolithic idol of Nandi....
Observe the skulls on throne of shiva. It is hollow, guide showed
 us penetrating a stick through ears,nose n mouth..


The legend goes that , a person by name  Sala killed a tiger, on the orders of his Guru Vardhamana Siddatamuni.. Later Sala was made a  chieftain who found Hoysala kingdom..



King Sala, killing the tiger.. Emblem of Hoysala..
                                    

My thirst to  Temples, History, Carvings, Architectures,Sculptures is never ending....   But  i should really appreciate Ramesh here,  to take me  to many   historical places  (Mainly with Carvings theme). Somnathapura, Lepakshi , Hampi, Badami,Aihole,Pattadkal  and now  Belur,Halebidu...Also now he helps me capture pictures and tries to learn more about them :).. Checkout  Avatars  of Lord Krishna beautifully carved...



Vishnu Avatar, Lord Krishna .
Vishnu avatar, Varaha
Vishnu avatar, Narasimha


Vishnu avatar, Vamana



Ravana Lifting Kailasam: And playing flute with his Nerves
to please lord shiva.. - Ramayana..


Chakravyuha:  Abhimanyu fighting kauravas - Mahabharatha..



Destination 3 : BELUR


Around 2:30pm, we all returned and  left to Belur, which is just 16kms away. We had lunch in near by  restaurant.. And went to Belur temple around 3:00pm...

Belur was the early capital of the Hoysala empire,  according to inscriptions discovered here, it was also referred to as Velapuri. The main attraction in Belur is the Chennakesava temple complex which is dedicated to Lord vishnu, Chennakeshava (meaning handsome Vishnu...



Lord chanakeshava(From Net)

Narasimha carved on ceiling of main temple..(From net)

The Rayagopuram at the entrance which was a later addition by the vijayanagara kings, who considered this deity as one of their  family god.




Other attractions of temple are elephants, lions, horses, episodes from the Indian mythological epics, and sensuous dancers (Shilabalikas). Inside the temple are a number of ornate pillars. 



Shilabalika - Darpana Sundari (beauty with mirror), Belur



ShilaBalika - Dancing pose




Krishna lifting the Govardhan mountain,



Each row is different themes..



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..



This is corner most wall:  every inch of corner most walls are also carved..



Rows of  Elephants, mythical animals, Horses and more..
Temple complex is built in Star shape....



Model of gopuram..

                          




10 comments:

  1. superb! beautiful shots! i haven't seen these places so far. thanks a lot for taking me to these beautiful spots!
    kalikrishna.mohan@gmail.com

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  2. Great..best wishes...satish

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  3. GOOD POST ....

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  4. Very useful and i have been following all and it helped

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  5. Amazingly wonderful Suma, appreciate your interest!! Thank you, helped me plan something for my parents as well!!

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