Sravanbelagola, Belur and Halebid - Private Tour

Atop the bare, rocky summit of Vindhyagiri Hill, the 17.5m-high statue of the Jain deity Gomateshvara (Bahubali) is visible long before you reach the pilgrimage town of Sravanabelagola (also spelt Shravanabelagola). Viewing the statue close up is the main reason for heading to this sedate town, whose name means ‘Monk of the White Pond'.

The 12th-century Hoysala temples at Belur (also called Beluru) are the apex of one of the most artistically exuberant periods of ancient Hindu cultural development. The main temple, dedicated to Vishnu, has been a place of worship for over 900 years.

Construction of the Hoysaleswara Temple, Halebid’s claim to fame, began around 1121 and went on for more than 80 years. It was never completed but nonetheless stands today as a masterpiece of Hoysala architecture. The interior of its inner sanctum, chiselled out of black stone, is marvellous. On the outside, the temple’s richly sculpted walls are covered with a flurry of Hindu deities, sages, stylised animals, and friezes depicting the life of the Hoysala rulers.

Visits include the Gomateshwara statue at Shravanabelagola, Channakeshava Temple at Belur, Hoysaleshawara Temple at Halebid