Halebidu

View of stellate form of shrine outer wall at the Hoysaleshwara Temple, Halebidu

Halebidu ಹಳೆಬೀಡು
city
Read view of Hoysaleshwara Temple, Halebidu
Halebidu
Coordinates:
Country	India
State	Karnataka
District	Hassan district
Elevation	880 m (2,890 ft)
Population (2001)
• Total	8,962
Ethnicity
• Ethnic groups	{{{demographics2_info1}}}
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Telephone code	08172

Halebidu (literally "old city") is located in Hassan District, Karnataka, India. Halebidu (which used to be called Dorasamudra or Dwarasamudra) was the regal capital of the Hoysala Empire in the 12th century. It is home to some of the best examples of Hoysala architecture. Most notable are the ornate Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples. The city got the name "Halebidu" because it was ransacked two times during the invasion of Malik Kafur.

History

Halebidu was the 12th-13th century capital of the Hoysala empire. The Hoysaleswara temple was built during this time by Ketamala (around 1121 AD) and attributed to King Vishnuvardhana, the Hoysala ruler. It is believed to have been completed around 1160 AD by Kedaroja, the chief architect of Vishnuvardhana's son and Successor Narasimha I(1142 - 1173). It enshrines Hoysaleswara and Shantaleswara, named after King Vishnuvardhana Hoysala and his Queen Shantala Devi.

The town was sacked by the armies of Malik Kafur in the early 14th century, after which it fell into a state of disrepair and neglect.

Temple complex

Main articles: Hoysaleswara temple and Kedareswara temple

The temple complex comprises two Hindu temples, the Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples and two Jain basadi. In front of these temples there is a large lake. The two Nandi images on the sides of the Hoysaleswara temple are monoliths. Soapstone (chloritic schist) was used for the construction of these temples. There is an archeological museum in the temple complex.

The Hoysaleswara temple, dating back to the 1121 C.E., is astounding for its wealth of sculptural details. The walls of the temple are covered with an endless variety of depictions from Hindu mythology, animals, birds and shilabalikas or dancing figures. No two sculptures of the temple are the same. This temple, guarded by a Nandi bull, was never completed, despite 86 years of labour. The Jain basadi nearby are equally rich in sculptural detail.

This temple is now being proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gallery

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  Lakshminarayana image at Halebidu

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  The decorated outer wall of the main temple

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  Halebidu

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  Frontal view of the Kedareshwara temple at Halebidu

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  Profile of the Kedareshwara temple at Halebidu

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  Nandi sculpture in Kedareshwara temple at Halebidu

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  Ganesha sculpture in Kedareshwara temple at Halebidu

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  Vishnu relief sculpture Kedareshwara temple at Halebidu

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  Arjuna relief sculpture Kedareshwara temple at Halebidu

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  Varahi relief sculpture Kedareshwara temple at Halebidu

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  Vamana relief sculpture Kedareshwara temple at Halebidu

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  Close up of entrance to Hoysaleswara temple at Halebidu

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  Relief of battling elephants in Hoysaleswara temple

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  Halebidu

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  Hoysaleshvara Temple, Halebidu

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  Profile of Kedareshwara Temple, Halebidu

Transportation

Halebidu is 16 km away from the one more historical place Belur. It is well connected by road and rail to Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mangaluru. There are regular buses to Hassan. The distance is 149 km to Mysore and 31 km to Hassan.

See also

• Shravanabelagola
• Somanathapura
• Doddagaddavalli

References

• Karnataka State Gazetteer 1983.

External links

• Halebeedu, Temple Art of the Hoysala Dynasty
• Photographs from Belur and Halebid
• Photographs from Belur and Halebid
• Kamat's potpurri on Hoysala Architecture and Halebidu
• Photographs of Sculptures in Halebeedu