Heritage Tour
According to Sahil we climbed 650 steps--barefoot on a warm day, I might add--to reach the 70-foot monolith of Gomateshwara, perched on top of a rocky hill. Not only is this arguably the most well-known Jain temple in the South, it is also the tallest statute in Asia carved out of a single rock! The view of the village of Shravanbelgola from the top is truly majestic.
Our next stop was a place called Halebeedu (or Halebid). Surrounded by manicured lawns is the Hoysaleshwara temple. Built by a Hoysala king, the temple was never completed because the Hoysala empire was attacked by the invading Muslims. What's unusual about the Halebid temple is that it has a flat top. One acount we heard was that the vimana was destroyed by the invaders; the other says that the vimana was never built. Regardless, this 1000-year old temple is an architectural marvel. The two Nandi bulls were quite impressive.
Off the beaten track in Halebid is another interesting temple called the Jain basadi. Most tourists skip it because it is much smaller and is still being restored. The story goes that the Hoysala king was a Jain but gave up the religion to follow the teachings of a Hindu guru. However, the queen opted to stick with Jainism and this temple was her place of worship.
The last stop was Belur, the one-time capital of Hoysala dynasty. The Belur temple is far more detailed, and in much better repair than the one in Halebid. It boasts of 42 statues of dancing girls, intricately carved in soapstone.
Our next stop was a place called Halebeedu (or Halebid). Surrounded by manicured lawns is the Hoysaleshwara temple. Built by a Hoysala king, the temple was never completed because the Hoysala empire was attacked by the invading Muslims. What's unusual about the Halebid temple is that it has a flat top. One acount we heard was that the vimana was destroyed by the invaders; the other says that the vimana was never built. Regardless, this 1000-year old temple is an architectural marvel. The two Nandi bulls were quite impressive.
Off the beaten track in Halebid is another interesting temple called the Jain basadi. Most tourists skip it because it is much smaller and is still being restored. The story goes that the Hoysala king was a Jain but gave up the religion to follow the teachings of a Hindu guru. However, the queen opted to stick with Jainism and this temple was her place of worship.
The last stop was Belur, the one-time capital of Hoysala dynasty. The Belur temple is far more detailed, and in much better repair than the one in Halebid. It boasts of 42 statues of dancing girls, intricately carved in soapstone.
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