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Halebidu Tourism
Halebid or Halebidu was formerly called Dwarasamudra which is situated in the Hassan district of Karnataka. Halebidu is a quaint and beautiful city with a rich history. This place houses many temples, sculptures, and shrines. Due to the presence of some architectural wonders, this place is considered as the “Gem of Indian architecture”. As this place was ruled by the Hoysala empire, so you can find many temples getting the touch of Hoysala architecture and some worth visiting Jain sites. Halebidu was the capital city of Hoysala dynasty but in today’s world this city is getting dilapidated. But it still has the potential to attract tourists all across the globe to take a look at the amazing architecture and alluring heritage.
If you are a person who loves to know more about history, and culture of the bygone India, then Halebid is the place where you can find your answer. Some of the most important places to visit in Halebid are the Kedareswara temple, Hoysaleswara temple, Shantaleswara temple, and Belur. You can see the sparkling history through the walls and architectures of these famous places. This is the very reason why number of tourists all across the world flock to this place. You can also visit the archaeological museum which has treasured up some precious historical memories for people to get some knowledge about the past. This place can be called as a spiritual hotspots due to the presence of many Hindu and Jain temples. As a visitor to this place of rich history, you will come back home with some amazing memories.
More on Halebidu
Hoysala Architecture
Halebid is call the temple town due to the presence of both Hindu and Jain temples. Two popular Hindu temples are Kedarnath temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Hoysaleswara temple or simply referred as Halebidu temple which is also dedicated to Lord Shiva. The architecture of the temples are spellbinding. The star shaped platform of Hoysaleswara temple is truly commendable. It was built by the Hoysala ruler, Vishnuvardhana under the administration of his minister, Ketumalla. It took near about 105 years to complete the total structure of the temple. A clear image of Hindu mythology is depicted on the walls of the temple along with many other carvings of dancing figures, animals and birds. The Kedareshwara temple was also followed the same Chalukya style. The temple was built by the king Ballala II without leaving any stone unturned. It is truly a masterpiece of Chalukya style architecture. The archaeological museum can be found in the temple complex which is worth a visit. To enhance the beauty to may fold, the temples are surrounded by huge lakes.
History
Halebid used to be the capital city during the reign of Hoysala Empire in the 12th and 13th centuries. It is the land of two popular Shiva temples of India, i.e., Hoysaleswara and Kedareshwara temples. Both of the temples were built according to the majestic Hoysala style. It was being looted and plundered twice by Malik Kafur during the period of 14th century. Most of the structures and architectures are now in a condition of getting ruined, so the name Halebid best suites this place which means the ‘old city’. But this place has never been a deserted place even after being old. You can see many people flocking to this place throughout the year.
Restaurants and Local Food in Halebidu
You can find both North and southIndian food in the hotels and restaurants located here, however, the southindian delicacies are more in numbers. Mostly you can find vegetarian platters due to the presence of many temples. But, you can also enjoy some non-veg food items if you want. Some special food items of this place are Kaayi kadabu, Kesuvina Gantu, and Chutney.
View 2 Restaurants in Halebidu >
Itinerary
Day 1: After reaching Halebid, you can visit the Hoysaleswara Temple. After that, you can take some rest and have some south indian delicacies in any restaurants. Vist the Kedareshwara Temple in the evening. You can also cover the Jain Basadi of Parasvanth, Adinath, and Shantinath.
Day 2: You can visit the gigantic statue of Lord bahubali. Go to Belur which is at a distance of 30 km from Halebid. You can see the Chennakeshava Temple and the Kappe Chennigaraya.