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Belur and Halebid

Belur and Halebid are two tiny but beautiful temple towns 16 km apart in the southern state of Karnataka. Once at the centre of a great empire ruled by Hoysalas in the 12th century, Belur and Halebid are heritage towns and are home to several exquisite temples which reveal the artistry of Indian sculptors and the mastery of the temple builders of yore.

No less exquisite than the famous temples of Khajuraho, the temples of Belur and Halebid will leave you wanting to come back for a second look.

The temples of Belur and Halebid are magnificently done up with intricate carvings and fine architecture. One must not miss out on the exquisite Hoyasala architecture which is worth a notice in all the temples.

Historically Speaking

Between the 12th and 13th century, Belur and Halebid formed part of the vibrant Hoysala Empire. For those who want to get their history facts all correct, the Hoysalas were from the hill tribes of the Western Ghats and for several years, served as feudatories of the Chalukyas. It was only under Tinayaditya (1047-78) that they first came into prominence. Belur on the banks of River Yagachi was the first capital of the Hoysala Empire and was earlier called Velapuri.

Under Vishnuvardhana, the greatest of the Hoysala kings, the capital was shifted to Halebid, a few kilometers away. Halebid was earlier known as Dwarasamudra (Gateway to the Sea) because of the abundance of water bodies here. It was during Vishnuvardhana's rule that most of the wonderful temples in Belur and Halebid were constructed, particularly the Hoysaleshwara temple. In the early part of the 14th century, Halebid was sacked by the armies of Malik Kafur, the slave general of Allaudin Khilji of the Delhi Sultanate.