A town in the Hassan district, Karnataka, Belur is known for the Chennakeshava temple. The scenic routes, the marvelous temples, and the courteous people are sure to melt anyone's heart. A town in the Hassan district, Karnataka, Belur is known for the Chennakeshava temple. The scenic routes, the marvelous temples, and the courteous people are sure to melt anyone's heart.
Located right along the banks of the Yagachi River, Belur is an undiscovered jewel for travelers. It was once the capital of the mighty Hoysala empire. Here are some places you can explore when visiting Belur.
One of the most sought-after attractions in Belur, The Chennakeshava Temple is dedicated to Lord Vijayanarayana, one of the 24 incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Built in the 12th century by King Vishnuvardhana, it was a way to commemorate the victory of the Hoysala dynasty in the Battle of Talakad against the Chola dynasty. The temple depicts various scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana in the form of inscriptions and sculptures.
Famous for its exquisite interiors, this temple was built by King Veera Ballala II. It depicts the various avatars of Lord Vishnu in the form of sculptures and inscriptions. This style of architecture is known as Trikuta (three-shrined temple) wherein The central shrine is dedicated to Lord Narayana, the southern shrine is a big image of Venugopala, and the northern shrine is a tribute to Yoganarasimha.
Located in the Veeranarayana Temple complex, this temple was constructed by Shantala Devi. This temple is dedicated to Vijayanarayana an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. There are various shrines situated on the premises dedicated to different gods.
Constructed during the reign of Narasimha Raya, the water from this tank is considered to be holy and used for rituals till the day.
Installed during the reign of King Devaraya in 1414, The Gravity Pillar s a 42 feet tall pillar. It is more commonly known as the Mahasthamba or Kartika Deepotsava Sthamba. This tall structure stands proud even without a base structure. Constructed using a single stone, the only thing keeping it upright is gravity.
Karnataka
Hassan
Mysore Airport
The popular cuisine of Belur is known as Malnad. Some must-try specialties of the town include Kesuvina Gantu and Bennekaayi Balaka.
Kannada is widely spoken in Hassan but tourists can communicate with locals in English and Hindi.
You can commute internally in Belur by chartering a taxi or rickshaw.
The best time to visit Belur would be in spring, ideally between March and April.
