Belur restday: Hoysala temples

January 18, 2016

Yesterday afternoon after settling into our room, cleaning up and doing laundry, we explored the Channakeshava Temple, built on the banks of Yagachi River, and just a few hundred meters from our hotel.

Today after breakfast, we set out to find a bus or tuk tuk to go to the Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebidu. Not an easy task finding a bus not being able to read the destinations. We walk to the station and watch for a bit, decide to take a tuk tuk. After several negotiations, Patrick agreed a 200rupee price for the 20kms ride. The road was torn up in sections and a bumpy ride, the driver was good trying to avoid the potholes and Patrick gave him an extra 50Rp. The ride back was about the same, but we got a tuk tuk driver who liked loud music with lots of bass.

Built of soapstone in the 12th century during the Hoysala dynasty, both temples have incredible sculpture details. Hoysaleswara has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hinduism has no founder and no specific date of origin, and is considered as always existing and timeless. More research than can be provided here is needed to fully understand the religion. As we understand, Brahman is the creator, the one supreme God. There are many gods that are part of the one, in other words, 3 forms of Brahman: Shiva, the destroyer and re-creator; Brahma, the creator; and Vishnu, the protector. The sacred sound Aum, started the creation and central is the belief of reincarnation: the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth; and karma determines what the next life will be. The cycle continues until the person realizes their soul is one with God.

Channakeshava Temple in Belur

Hindu god lord Krishna, the 8th avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu, the supreme God.

Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebidu

We are barefoot, shoes checked in before can enter the temple

Ganesh, lord of success, destroyer of evil and obstacles. The elephant deity is riding a mouse.

Two sided temples with huge statues of a Cow. In Hinduism, the cow is respected as a representation of life that is misinterpreted by non-Hindu as worship.

Hindu flower offerings to deities, specific flowers for specific deity.

We had finished walking around the temple and found a bakery. They joined us at our table

We had another wonderful Thali meal for lunch at our hotel restaurant. A Thali is a set meal served on a round stainless steel platter with little bowls of various dishes and a bowl of rice. The traditional Thali tries to have 6 different flavors: sweet, salt, bitter, sour astringent and spicy.

Thali meal in the restaurant at our hotel

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