Halebid

Halebid City (also called Halebidu) is the ancient temple city located in Karnataka. The name 'Halebid' means the 'city of ruins' and is called so because it was ruined twice by the Bahmani Sultanate. Lot of tourists visit this city to get a glimpse of some of the architectural marvels of the Hoysala Empire hailing back to the 12th and 13th centuries. The temples adorn thousands of carvings and intricate figures of Hindu deities, scenes from mythology and great epics. These were built during the reign of Hoysala Kings and are today maintained by the Archaeological Society of India. If you are a history buff and excursions of archaeological sites lure you, Halebid City is a perfect tourist place for you.

Halebid City was earlier known as ‘Dwarasamudra’ which means ‘entrance to the sea’ and served as the capital city of the Hoysala Kingdom in 12th century. It came to be known as Halebidu after the devastation of the city by the Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji’s army two times. During the Hoysala reign, lots of temples were built amongst which the Hoysaleswara temple was the finest and is still a major tourist spot at this place apart from several Jain shrines. Halebid stands as a symbol of nation’s culture with a glorious past. It has also been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city is not only a cultural heritage site but also an agricultural paradise, where you can find fields of paddy and sugarcane spread across thousands of acres of land.

October to April

Halebid is a temple city. The major tourist attractions here include several temples. It would always be a better idea to hire an authorized tourist guide to get to know about the history and beauty of these temples.

Halebid City is located in the Southern region of India, so you can expect to get South Indian food at every hotel and restaurant. The most famous cuisine of Halebid is the Malnad cuisine in which you can go for the Halasinkai chutney and Sihi Kaayi Kadabu, the main course dish which is made up of rice, cardamoms, and grated coconut. Some of the best restaurants to enjoy the Malnad cuisine are Hoysala Village Resort and the Green Pastures Resort.

Halebid is known for its stone idols, terracotta items and religious statues made of Panchdhatu which is an alloy of five different metals that do not corrode and last for years. Most of the souvenir shops sell these items, so getting some for friends and relatives is a good idea. Also, since Halebid is located in Karnataka, which is famous for its handicrafts and silk sarees, you can buy one for yourself.

By Road: Halebid City is well connected to the cities of Bangalore, Mangalore and Mysore. Direct KSRTC run buses ply frequently from these places to Halebid city. By Rail: If you are travelling through train, then get down at the Hassan Railway Station (around 33 km. from Halebid). From Hassan, you can hire a taxi or take the state run buses to get to Halebid. By Air: International tourists can take a flight to the Bangalore International Airport (About 220 km. from Halebid) and then a domestic flight to the Mangalore Airport (around 184 km. from Halebid). Rented cabs from the Mangalore Airport are easily available which can take you to the Halebid City.

Other attractions of this historically rich city include The Archaeological Museum and Shantaleshwara Temple. Halebid truly signifies royalty and glory.

Belur: Around 16 km. from Halebid, this is the twin town of Halebid City. Temples of the Hoysala Era are widely spread out between these two twin cities. Also, Belur was the first capital of Hoysala Kingdom which was afterwards shifted to Halebid City. Chenakeshava Temple in Belur is the major tourist attraction. Sravanabelagola : Around 80 km. from Halebid, this is an important site for Jain pilgrims and is famous for its Gomateswara statue as it is the tallest monolithic stone statue in the world.