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Karthik Raja | all galleries >> Galleries >> Incredible India >> Belur & Halebidu, Karnataka > Sala, Hoy! Hoysala emblem, Belur
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05-JUL-2008 Jyothi Karthik Raja

Sala, Hoy! Hoysala emblem, Belur

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There is a legend that a young man (Sala) was asked by his Jain guru Sudatta to kill a tiger he encountered near the temple of the Goddess Vasantika at Sosevur which he bravely did. The word to kill or strike translates into "Hoy" in Kannada and thus the origin of the word Hoysala and the boy became the first king of the Hoysala empire. The Hoysalas ruled Karnataka between the 11th and 14th centuries AD and contributed immensely to the art and architecture of the region. They used soapstone (chloritic schist) for their construction which enabled the artists of that period to carve intricate designs and add detail to their sculptures. The temples of Belur and Halebidu are both being considered for the UNESCO World Heritage Site listing.

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