13) Hassan and the Hoysala temples of Belur and Halebid


Advertisement
India's flag
Asia » India » Karnataka » Hassan
March 6th 2005
Published: March 6th 2005
Edit Blog Post

Overview of BelurOverview of BelurOverview of Belur

Here you can see clearly that the temple lacks its suprastructure. In the background you can see the towering gopuram
We were a bit fed up with bus-rides, so we tried to catch a train from Mysore to Hassan. Although it was not mentioned in our guidebook, we found a train immediately. Unlike the buses, the train was almost empty. We enjoyed the trip very much, preferring trains to buses anyway, since you have more space and can move around rather freely. You also see a lot from the landscape from the train, you just don't experience village scenes in a bus. To our surprise we arrived one hour earlier than they had told us, and could finally book our second overnight train, which we had not managed in Mysore. There we had queued for about two hours twice, without any outcome. Although Mysore is a relatively big city, the train station is rather miserable. But you have to book long-distance trains several days in advance (especially when they run overnight), otherwise you won't get places to sleep. In order to do so, you need several pieces of information, the most important being the train number. the booking can take place in any train station of the country, so it is rather useless to consult the local information panels, even more
Temple windowsTemple windowsTemple windows

The Hoysalas used magnificently carved windows to regulate the inflow of light into the temple
so because they are written in Indian characters. We use the Internet for this information, and so far it has worked very well. For booking it would be good to know whether there are any free seats on your desired date, for this you can check the availability on a local terminal. Once this is done, keep your fingers crossed. We are only relieved when we hold the tickets in our hands.

Hassan itself is of little interest except as a base for exploring the marvelous temples of the Hoysala period. The Hoysalas who ruled a large kingdom between the rivers Krishna and Kaveri from the 11th to the 14th century, made Belur and Halebid their capital. Great warriors, they also patronised culture and art. The artisans were encouraged to rival each other and even sign their names on their work of art. A special stone gave the sculptors the opportunity to work with intricate detail since it is initially comparatively soft when quarried but hardens with exposure to air. The temples, built as prayers for victory in battle, are small but superbly conceived.

These two temples are built according to the same architectural principles as the one
Carved pillarCarved pillarCarved pillar

The unique Narashima pillar at the centre of the hall is particularly fine and originally could be rotated
in Somnathpur (inside a courtyard enclosed by a wall used as a cloister, set on a star-shaped base, various bands with different motives on top), but give a rather ungraceful impression because they lack the suprastructure. The most striking feature of Belur's temple, which makes it occupy a distinct place among the architectural wonders of India, is the hall. When you enter, you see hardly anything due to the reigning darkness, but once your eyes have got accustomed to the faint light, you stop to stare in wonder. These pillars are so fantastic, with so many delicately carved details that you can hardly believe your eyes. You let your eyes wander from the base to the top, where the four pillars in the middle are adorned with four big statues of dancers, which are so vividly conceived that you could swear they will go on with their dance right now.

The temple of Halebid is situated in a wonderful park and gives the impression of two temples stuck together, which is enhanced by the existence of two nandis (holy bulls, Shiva's vehicle). Its distinctive features are to be found on the outside, a huge number of statues decorating the
DeityDeityDeity

The Hindus adore their gods very much and decorate their statues with colours and all kinds of flowers
temple walls, one more beautiful and finely carved than the other. As this was a weekend, many Indian tourists visited the temples. Stephan was very pleased because this way he could take some pictures of women in traditional clothes without disturbing them.

In India today, women wear three types of clothes. The saree is still the most wide-spread one, only in very big and modern cities it is less to be seen. A saree is usually very colourful sometimes combining colours that seem not to match, but on dark-brown skin it looks good. It consists of two pieces, a very tight and short top (it ends directly beneath the breasts), which is buttoned in the front. Then you have a long piece of cloth, sometimes embroidered or decorated with sequins, that is artfully draped around the body, starting at the waist. We suppose that is held up by a needle at the woman's shoulder. The end of the cloth is worn like a nicely plaited and fringed scarf. During the hottest hours of the day, use the end of the scarf to protect their heads against the sun. You see, the saree is not only a pretty piece of
Dancing maid with a drumDancing maid with a drumDancing maid with a drum

This is a figure at the top of a pillar inside the hall. Isn't her pose remarkable?
clothing, but also a multifunctional one. Secondly, mostly younger women wear a two-piece suit, consisting of pants and a very long tunic which reaches down to the knee.
Colors and patterns always match, and a light scarf gives it the finishing touch. A saree is always very tight around the legs, but this piece of clothing gives women more freedom to move, so we could often watch travelers wear it. Thirdly, young and modern women do wear jeans and t-shirts.

Men's clothes are less complicated. They either wear pants and shirts, or the so-called dhoti, a kind of loincloth. It is a very strange sight, consisting of a piece of cloth (by far not as beautiful as the ones used for sarees) that reaches from the hip down to their feet. Depending on what they do and how much freedom of movement they need, they can give it any length they desire, the minimum is at knee-length. Well, Tarzan did not come from India.



Additional photos below
Photos: 18, Displayed: 18


Advertisement

Fighting elephantFighting elephant
Fighting elephant

Fighting against an elephant is not an easy task, you need several men to succeed
Operation techniques?Operation techniques?
Operation techniques?

Would it not be practical for surgeons to have several arms and hands as well to hold the different instruments?
Classical sareeClassical saree
Classical saree

A saree is beautiful also from the back, from this perspective you can admire how nicely women decorate their long hair with flowers
Sarees and salwarsuitSarees and salwarsuit
Sarees and salwarsuit

A salwarsuit is less complicated to wear than a saree but as colourful
Modern outfitModern outfit
Modern outfit

Modern girls in the cities prefer trousers, but whatever they wear they are lovely
Men loading sugarcaneMen loading sugarcane
Men loading sugarcane

Dhotis are better adapted to the heat than trousers, also because their length can be individually adjusted
Overview of Halebid's templeOverview of Halebid's temple
Overview of Halebid's temple

The park around the temple in Halebid was very enticing
Halebid entranceHalebid entrance
Halebid entrance

As in Belur, the suprasructure is missing and the carved windows are a special feature
Animal touristAnimal tourist
Animal tourist

Typical for the Hoysala temples, also Halebid shows the line of elephants at the bottom, attracting all kinds of admirers
Mythical animalsMythical animals
Mythical animals

This beast is made up of a crocodile and an elephant
Everyday lifeEveryday life
Everyday life

One of the bands in Hoysala temples is always dedicated to everyday life. Fortunately, life does not only consist of work and toil...
Inside elephantInside elephant
Inside elephant

Not surprisingly, this is one of Halebid's most famous sculptures. It shows Shiva dancing with some musicians and his nandi inside an elephant's belly. With some hands, he keeps the belly open. The elephant's head and his forelegs are at the bottom, his hind legs and tail are to be seen on top.
Ganesh statueGanesh statue
Ganesh statue

Just next to the temple we found this wonderfull statue of Ganesh, our favourite Hindu deity


24th March 2005

Incredible architecture and carvings...
Thank you for this posting. I was at Belur and Halibeedu/Halebid last month. Everything you write is true, and more. These temples predate Somnathpura but are descended from each other during the Hoysala times (three generations of kings in that region) I found the 12th century temples to be the most beautiful places I've probably ever visit. Everything is exquisite. The rock carvings, the lathe turned pillars, the pair of Nandis at Halibeedu. This is contrasted against religious architecture in Europe which seem plain, bland, and almost immature by comparison. One thing I find interesting about these old and previously important temples is their current remoteness. That is to say, in India all the great old stuff is far removed from everyday life. It takes hours or days to reach these locations. In Europe, for instance, or even other places in Asia, major cultural artifacts can be found intertwined with everyday life and living. Not so with these truely awe inspiring Indian temples. It must have an impact on India social conciousness, right? Anyways, there are incredible treasures hidden throughout Southern India, like these two places. For a long time I used to dream of going to Northern India (Benares along the Ganges). But after seeing what Southern India has to offer, interest in the north has waned. Have a great trip! Keep up the good work.
23rd August 2010

halebidu
It was amazing!!!!!!!!! We all had a lot of fun in halebidu

Tot: 0.464s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 37; qc: 166; dbt: 0.2733s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.7mb