Belur and Halebidu (Halebeedu) are two magnificent temples around 4 hours (220km - 240km) drive from Bangalore, Karnataka. Both can be covered in a long day's trip (7am - 9pm) though you can spend a night in Hassan and also cover the Jain shrine at Sharavanbelagola and Mysore on Day 2.

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.

The Chennakesava Temple is the main attraction in Belur and was commissioned by King Vishnuvardhana around 1117. The temple has one shrine with an idol of Lord Kesava (Vishnu), commissioned by Shantala Devi, queen of king Vishnuvardhana. The main gopuram at the entrance was a later addition by the Vijayanagar Empire. The temple is known for its symmetrical corners and the 42 beautiful sculptures of maidens in various postures (madanikas). Some madanikas that are popular with tourists are the Darpana Sundari (beauty with mirror), "The lady with the parrot", "The huntress" and Bhasma mohini. The 4 inside are more intricately carved with attention being paid to the detail of their jewels too. Inside the temple is a pillar depicting Narasimha that at one time could revolve on its ball bearings.

Halebidu is 16km from Belur and was the capital of the Hoysala empire in the 12th century. It is home to one of the best examples of Hoysala architecture in the ornate Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples though they were never completed and was ruined through repeated attacks by enemy empires and later ravaging by the British. Halebid translates into Ruined City and today though the temple is protected by the ASI it is still in need of funds for proper maintenance and construction of tourist facilities.

The Hoysaleswara temple is larger than the temple at Belur and has two shrines and double the number of symmetrical corners. It is also constructed from soapstone. While the sculptures are not as intricate as the ones in Belur the outside facade of the Halebidu temple is of far more interest as it depicts multiple stories, legends and myths.

These temples have existed for almost a 1000 years now and they are definitely worth seeing.