Belur, Halebid and Somnathpur Temples

This is the area where there are a plethera of temples: Chennakeshava, Hoysalesware, and the Jain Temples to name but a few.

Belur

Belur used to be the capital of the Hoysala Empire they were great warriors yet they also patronised culture and arts. The artisans were encouraged to rival each other. Steatite (soap stone) gave the sculpors the chance to work in intricate detail as the rock is initially soft when quarried but hardens in the air. The temples here were built as prayers for battle and are still considered holy today. Which meant we had to walk around without any shoes and make sure we wore long trousers and long sleeved tops.

Our first temple visit was to Chennakesava, it’s relatively small in comparison to others, built on a star shape plinth. You enter through the impressive gopura (tower)

The outside structure is covered in friezes. A line of 644 elephants (each different) surround the base, next equine and floral forms, then scenes from the epic tales. Row 4 is of forms of Vishnu above that lions (the emblem of the Hoysala dynasty) and finally a row of swans and crocodiles.

There are other smaller shrines within the walls and a height defying pillar which dominates the courtyard.

Here are some photos of the friezes

The figures that are at the entrance steps into the temple very impressive.

Inside is as intricately carved too

This iis all carved from one single piece of stone

Halebid

The next temple we visited was the magnificent Hoysalasvara Temple, similar to Belur but more detailed and has 2 shrines, one dedicated to Shiva the other to his consort, Parvati (also known as Santalesvara).

This temple is set in lovely gardens and doesn’t have a tower entrance. Again the intricate friezes cover the whole structure

We found this in the information room, it explains what each layer of the frieze represents.

These are layers 6 & 7 in close up.

Inside are many full size figures of dancers

And outside is a shrine to the holy cow

Somnathpur

Another Hoysala temple, Prasanna Chennakesava but this one has 3 shrines which is very unusual and was built much later in the 13th century and still retains it’s rooves.

By this temple I was feeling a little overwhelmed ie a bit ‘templed out’, so I deliberately looked for more unusual carvings, like the 6 armed goddess dancer, male and female dancers naked and entwined with snakes, and one that looks like an animal.