Halebeedu always had that unique attraction to me since school days. The last time I visited Halebeedu was in nanne-munne school days trip or so.This time it was more special. More unique. Raj, me, Ksheera, Deepti & Diwa ensured this road trip lasts long in our memory cells. We had amazing monsoon road trip crossing lovely highways of Hassan.
The place is nicely maintained and has that elegance due to its wide landscape compared to Belur. It was one of the fantastic road trip of 2009 due to amazing Hassan roads running besides green fields and lovely friends !
Halebeedu, literally means ‘the ruined city’. During the 12th and 13th centuries AD, it flourished as the capital of the Hoysala Dynasty for about 150 years. It was also then known as Dwarasamudra (gateway to the seas). However, invaders who robbed it of its treasures, leaving behind the ruins of the once-magnificent Shiva temple, twice attacked it. The Hoysalas then shifted their capital to Belur, leaving behind Halebeedu, a city once grand and since reduced to ruins.
We reached here amidst dark clouds at five in the evening. Rain-shower was in offing. The moment our vehicle reached the gates of temple, it started drizzling. Rain God all excited to receive us with adorably massive down pour. There were no worries except safe guarding our DSLR cameras :). Infact everyone got some kind of josh the moment, temple opened up with backdrop of dark clouds. The ever crazy Ksheera was all set for photo poses even in that hard drain pestering Raj to shoot her photos like Shantala pose in-front of temple.
The moment the rain started pouring heavy our pack ensured to get to safe place inside temple. It’s a epic on its own. The inside had oil lamp lit before the God, gave a kind of aura of its own. The elegant temple gave a minute of shiver when I uttered the kingdom name inside me -hoysala. Large shilabalika‘s, mesmerizing architecture, heavy rain outside, and people taking shelter inside yellowish lamp lit arena, created an enigmatic experience stayed inside me for ever.
Kannada folklore tells of a young man, Sala, who saved his Jain guru Sudatta by striking dead a tiger he encountered near the temple of the Goddess Vasantika at Sosevur. The word “strike” literally translates to “hoy” in Hale Kannada (Old Kannada), hence the name “Hoy-sala”.
whatever it is, I love rain. Rather I am crazy to get soaked in ever-loving rainy days. I stepped out to explored the beauty of Halebeedu temple in absolute heavy rain. Was all alone & it was scarily heavy downpour, and was the most memorable experience to be so close to lovely architecture watching water pouring from all possible carvings of world famous Halebeedu temple! For the first time I felt, it was the god-made setting to view temple completely immersed in rain water. I was the only one around that temple and that added feeling of lonesome-wholesome rainy experience :)
When I reached entrance of the main temple after a big circle, I found Karai, Ksheera, Diwa, Deepti dancing and getting soaked under ultra-cold, freezing, needle-sharp drizzles pouring from sharp angular roof tops of the main temple ! I too joined to give jump poses to Raj’s DSLR cam. We all took a shower down the water dripping from the temple top. It was kind of strange if I remember today. It was warm afternoon and water dripping from temple suppose to be warm, but it was ultra chilled !
The attraction of the temple didn’t go away in a single day and we came back on the next day to experience the wide landscape, architecture tour of the majestic temple in a bright sunny day. It remained as a most cherishing ever-green experience in rain soaked Halebeedu temple.
The most likeable part is, the way, archeological department of India has maintained this world famous temple with utmost care & has made it stand strong to tell the story of the great Hoysalas. Our 4 wheeler moved onto Belur - the most beautiful temple, which withstood the attack of invaders. And touted to be most beautiful Hoysala temple in the world !
May 13th - 2009 | Belur Halebid Sravanabelagola Road trip journal
I’m Jag from Bangalore, India.
