February 14-16 Weekend Trip: The Splendour Of Hoysala Temples

Join us for a three-day trip to Belur and Halebidu to explore the great Hoysala Architecture led by an expert.

Very few places in South India have the cultural and architectural heritage of Belur and Halebidu. Belur is located on the banks of river Yagachi and is known as Dakshina Banaras or ‘Banaras of the South’. Halebidu is also known as Dwarasamudra or ‘The Gateway to the Seas’.

Among others, the tour will cover Hoysaleswara Temple, Kedareshwara Temple and Doddagaddavalli Swamy Lakshmi Devi Temple - few of the most popular shrines in Hassan.

These cities thrived for about 150 years under the Hoysala empire. Belur was once the capital of their empire but under the reign of Vishnuvardhana, the greatest of the Hoysala kings, the capital was relocated to Halebidu. It can be said that even though Belur and Halebidu are 16 km apart, they will always be considered as one for what remains.

You can find plenty of mythological stories from the Hindu doctrines carved onto the temples of Belur and Halebidu. The intricate illustrations from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas and the Upanishads can leave you enchanted. The Chennakesava temple at Belur, the Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu are being proposed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Once again, this journey will be led by an expert who understands the history, heritage and context of Hoysala architecture.

Details about the trip and ticket requirements are here.

Dates: 14 - 16 February 2020

Duration: 3 Days 2 Nights

Departure: Bengaluru

Cost: Rs 14,999

For more details, write to us at heritage@swarajyamag.com