Chickmagalur, Small sleepy town with lot of coffee estates around. I was visiting it after a long gap of 2 years.. This time took 10 days vacation and wanted to enjoy. Sringeri, hornadu kalasa, kudremukh, kemmangundi , belur, halebid was on my list. After spiritual trip with family to sringeri horanadu kalasa kudremukh... took a days rest !! But couldnt' go to belur - halebid as planned due to health reasons ( food poinsioning :P hehee).
On sunday morning, due to some inspiring explanations of belur architecture got me excited and wanted to visit belur. So along with my uncle, i hopped on his bike and got going... Left Chickmagalur at 3 pm. To the picturequese country side and good roads was easily zipping to belur.
In about 30 mins we had reached belur. Could have driven faster if not for the lose breaks of the vehicle.
Around 3:45 we started exploring the temple. The chennakeshava temple in belur. I was back here after 5 years. had some wage memories of the place. This is a unique temple where vishnu's mohini form is depicted. The main idol has the body of a man but face of a woman. All the stories i had heard were going through my mind. Then i entered the main temple campus... good to know that there is no entry fees !!! I felt good .... i am tired of simply paying entry fees which is not at all used in the development of the these monuments. The reason for not having entry fees may be due to the fact that this is not just a monument but a temple too where daily pooja and offerings are made.
The majestic entrance was an indication of what would follow. The view inside the temp le complex was quite familiar with one main temple and the side temples. Symmetry was quite visible, especially the dwaja stambha *( flag post) was right in the center of the main temple complex and divided it equally 
On the left side of the temple was this unique pillar which seemed quite
ordinary from a distance. Then my uncle mentioned to me that this pillar stood on 3 corners !! i went what the @#*(# .. Civil engineering at its best !!! when i went near i could clearly see a 500-600 Kg stone structure standing..... err..made to stand rather on 3 corners... !!! Guys trying making a simple chair stand of 3 legs ;) !!
The main temple, surrounded by a group of subsidiary shrines, stands in the center of a rectangular, paved courtyard along the perimeter of which are ranges of cells fronted by a pillared veranda. The main temple has a pillared hall (navaranga). The extensive hall is supported by forty-six pillars, each of a different design. The Hoysala kingdom that flourished in these parts of ancient India between the 11th and 14th centuries is widely acknowledged as the 'crowning glory' in Indian architecture.
The temple has a pillared hypostyle hall-the Navaranga; a square vestibule-the Antarala and the sanctum sanctorum-Garbagriha. The original tower-Shikhara of the temple was destroyed during the Mohammedan invasion by Bahamani rulers the Vijayanagar ruler rebuilt the magnificent gateway tower, the Gopuram, which was also destroyed.
The extensive hall within is supported by forty-six pillars, each of a different design! The pillars were manufactured by rough finishing a monolithic block of stone and then mounting it in upright position on a wheel. The Narasimha pillar, it is said, could revolve on its ball bearings! The Mohini is also famous for the sublime expressions and posture of Lord Vishnu posing in the feminine form of Mohini. 108 deities are depicted in the miniature shrines and recesses of the pillars! However, nothing surpasses the finish of the four central pillars.
Here are some of the sculptures that adorn the temples
i) dancers in various poses
ii) One of the rare male figure
iii) Shiva parvathi iv) Voluptuous Dancer
It was almost 5 mins past 5 and we decided to drop into halebid too.. anywayz i have come so far... why not visit it again !!.. so set on .. halebid is about 16 kms from belur.
The name Halebid....literally means, 'old village' Belur. Halebid, famous for its Hoyasaleswara temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The construction of the Hoyasaleswara Temple was started in AD 1121 and continued for around 90 years, but never completely finished. Even in its incomplete form, this temple is the most remarkable example of Hoysala art and architecture. Every part of the walls of this temple is adorned by a continuing variety of Hindu deities, sages, animals and many other art forms. The temple is surrounded by a garden and there is also a museum nearby.
The interiors of the temple too are very detailed with fine carvings on the pillars. i bet you can't see such exquisite carvings even on wood !
The miniature carvings leave you without
words, But its disappointing to see them damaged. Here you can see the churning of the oceans by gods & demons, along with battle epics.
Shiva Parvathi :: Bramha Vishnu Maheshwara :: Ganesha in Nataraja like pose.
There it was.. my cheapest trip.. just 50 bucks for Petrol :)
