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194
kms from Bangalore is the District Headquarters of Hassan. This
quiet and peaceful town is a convenient base to visit Shravanabelagola,
Belur and Halebid. Hassan offers a wide variety of accommodation.
It is well connected by road and rail to Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore.
Shravanabelagola. 31 kms south-east of Hassan, this is one of the
most important Jain pilgrim centres. Here is the 17 m high monolith
of Lord Bahubali - the world's tallest monolithic statue. Thousands
of devotees congregate here to perform the Mahamastakabhisheka -
a spectacular ceremony held once in 12 years, when the 1000 - year
- old statue is anointed with milk, curds, ghee, saffron and gold
coins. The next Mahamastakabhisheka will be held in 2005 A.D.
Shravanabelegola is 158 kms from Bangalore.
Belur. This quaint hamlet - 38 kms from Hassan - is located on the
banks of the river Yagachi. It was once the capital of the Hoysala
empire, today made unforgettable for its exquisite temples. The
Chennakeshava Temple is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture.
It took 103 years to complete and you can see why. The facade of
the temple is filled with intricate sculptures and friezes with
no portion left blank. Elephants, episodes from the epics, sensuous
dancers... they are all there - awe-inspiring in their intricate
workmanship. Inside are hand-lathe-turned filigreed pillars. The
Veeranarayana Temple and the smaller shrines are well worth a visit.
Halebid is 27 kms north-west of Hassan and 17 kms east of Belur.
The temples of Halebid - like those of Belur - bear mute testimony
to the rich, cultural heritage of Karnataka. The Hoysaleswara Temple,
dating back to the 12th century, is astounding for its wealth of
sculptural details. The walls of the temple are covered with an
endless variety of gods and goddesses, animals, birds and dancing
girls. Yet no two facets of the temple are the same. This magnificent
temple - guarded by a Nandi Bull - was never completed, despite
86 years of labour. The Jain basadis nearby are equally rich in
sculptural detail. Belur and Halebid are 222 and 216 kms from Bangalore,
respectively.
Channarayapatna, Ramanathpur, Gorur and Manjarabad are the other
places of interest around Hassan.
194
kms from Bangalore is the District Headquarters of Hassan. This
quiet and peaceful town is a convenient base to visit Shravanabelagola,
Belur and Halebid. Hassan offers a wide variety of accommodation.
It is well connected by road and rail to Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore.
