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| 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. |
