At a glance Situated a short distance from the foothills of the Western Ghats,16 km from Belur, 32 km from Hassan and 90 km from Sravanabelgola
About the city Halebid is one of Karnataka's open secrets. Although supposedly on the well-worn tourist path, I have seldom met people who have actually been to Halebid. And the ones who have seen the place well, theyve been there, done that, and said little about it. Capital of the Hoysala Empire which flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries, Hale Bidu (Old City) is the most apt of several names that are tagged on to this little town in Karnataka. Another ancient name was Dwarasamudra gateway to the sea indicating the numerous water bodies that must have been in the vicinity at the time. A town one can walk about in should one choose to do so, Halebid is still one of those deserted places that unexpectedly comes upon you round a bend in the road, and surprises you with its charm. It is surrounded by fields which now cover the area of what used to be a large tank providing irrigation to the surrounding areas. On clear days, from the road one can see the Gomateswara statue at Sravanabelgola looming in the distance. Owing to its proximity to Bangalore, most people do Halebid as a day-trip, so ironically it's a great place to spend a couple of days since few people stay the night.
How to reach Road: Car: Take NH4 to Nelamangala then catch NH48 (Mangalore Road) to Hassan, from where you get on to the state highway to Halebid, 32 km away. Bus: There are plenty of KSRTC connections to Hassan from Bangalore. To get to Halebid from Hassan, take a cab for the 1-hr journey En route halt Tirumala Lodge (Tel: 08176-652080) at Channarayapatna runs Legend Restaurant which serves Indian cuisine. The hotel also has a general store, chemist and dry cleaners. Just opposite is a petrol pump. Journey Time Road: 4 1/2 hrs
Distances 226 km West from Bangalore 32 km from Hassan 90 km from Sravanabelgola From Bangalore NH4 to Nelamangala NH48 to Hassan via Kunigal, Yediyur and Channarayapatna State highway to Halebid
Best Seasons Avoid May to mid-June when it's un-comfortably warm. Carry a sun hat
Places in and around The main attraction is the Hoysaleswara Temple, which actually comprises two temples joined by a single platform. The second temple is the Shantaleswara Temple. Together they took roughly 100 years to build and are still incomplete. This temple is set in a pristine lawn and the restoration work done on the temple gives one an impression of impeccability. The highlight is the nature of carvings done on the walls which are so intricate as to resemble carvings done on sandalwood rather than stone. Halebid is in almost pristine condition after almost a thousand years of living history. Visiting is a pleasure, partly due to that fleeting sense of reconnaissance one experiences on seeing the Hoysaleswara Temple, a relic from almost forgotten history textbooks, and partly owing to jewellery-like sculpture of the temple. The best part of Halebid is its finely executed carved sculptures. Along with Khajuraho and Konark, Halebid is one of those temples with ornate carvings, which are precisely done. These are so numerous on the walls that they should form a noisy cluster with humans and animals speaking to each other but they don't. The temple, although incomplete, resembles a finely engraved casket. Some of the sculptures are actually hollow, rather than being simply carved onto the walls. So a stick passed into the ear of a figure can come out through the nose and so on. Strict Vastu Shastra has been followed to make the temple extremely comfortable even in hot weather. One wall, for instance, is completely solid to block out the afternoon sun, whereas the other has numerous perforations to allow air and light to enter without increasing the temperature inside. The resultant inner space is cool, dim and lovely. The temple is made of soft, fine-grained chloristic schist, which can be easily carved and has lasted for more than 900 years. It is star-shaped, like other prominent Hoysala architecture, and this allows a larger surface area on which to execute the carvings. Anyone who has overdosed on the tall vimanas and gopurams of other South Indian temples will find this one a relief you don't need to crane your neck at an awkward angle to see the top. Further, all the truly marvellous sculpture is conveniently placed at more or less eye-view level, thanks to the elevated platform that surrounds the temple. Never mind that the temple is actually incomplete none of the guides tell you that an imposing vimana was part of the original design and was simply not executed at the time of construction. The structure is still pleasing in its proportions and the temple complex is large enough for you to pick a corner and remain undisturbed in your cogitations. When the sun gets too hot, go indoors and the lattice-work will allow just enough light and air to let you contemplate on the pillared halls and marvel at the hollowed statues of yore while you cool off. The Kedareswara Temple is equally ornate but large portions of the temple have collapsed. This is worthy of a visit only if you are interested in detailing rather than the overall structure. It has star-shaped pillars and carved ceilings. Also check out Basadi Halli, a group of Jain temples famous for its pillars which are so highly polished that they resemble mirrors. Although this complex consists of three temples, the most famous is the Parswana'thaswamy Temple, which has a 14-ft high figure made of black stone. The temples are open all day long and there is no entry fee. A guide should cost you about Rs 125-250, depending on the size of your group.