Halebidu
Carvings at Hoysaleswara Temple
Carvings at Hoysaleswara Temple
I
n local dialect the name Halebidu or Halebidu literally means 'The Old City'. The origin of this name is often attributed to the moving of Hoysala capital from this city to the Belur.During the Hoysala Empire in the 12th century Halebidu was known as Dorasamudra.
Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu is located on the banks of a large tank connected to the Yagachi River. This is the prime attraction in Halebid.
Other important sites include Adinatha Basadi, Parsvanatha Basadi, and the Kedareshwara Temple.
The major town for Halebidu is Hassan (road distance about 55km). Belur to Halebid is about 30min drive . You can also take a direct road to Halebid from Hassan via Salagame ( about 40km) . Halebid is also a well connected with other nearby attractions like Belavadi (12km From Halebidu) and Javagal (12km From Halebidu)
Halebidu
Hoysaleswara temple Halebid
Bangalore to Hassan, Belur, Halebid road map
Bangalore to Hassan, Belur, Halebid road map
Halebidu
Hoysaleswara temple Halebidu
Hoysaleswara temple Halebid
Bangalore to Hassan, Belur, Halebid road map
Soapstone sculptures
The beauty of the Hoysala templs , particularly its intricate carvings owes a lot to one material - Soapstone. Unlike granite, sandstone and marble used in the construction of most of India's ancient monuments, soapstone is softer with some peculiar properties that set it apar from the former materials. To give you an idea , the softer version of the soapstone can be carved even with your finger nail.