My job required me to travel to India for two weeks and who am I to pass on that opportunity? I’ve travelled to India twice before. Once to enjoy Goa with friends and once to travel from Kozhikode to Thalassery to go to a friend’s wedding. This third time would take me to Mysore. It would be two weeks filled with work and living at a campus, but who would I be if I wouldn’t plan fun weekend trips to explore the state Karnataka?
There are a lot of options in terms of day trips from Mysore. We rented a taxi (through the company) and set our own itinerary. There are opportunities to explore natural sights, for example tiger spotting in Bandipur or enjoying the cool hill stations of Coorg or Wayanad and there are more cultural sights. This day trip will focus on the cultural aspects. I will write two more blog posts about other possible day trips and one post about what to do in and around Mysore when you’re staying there for a longer period of time.
I can highly recommend our itinerary for this day trip, because it’s easily doable by car from Mysore and it takes you to a couple of beautiful sights. Two temples that originate from the Hoysala Empire and one giant statue.
Belur
The first sight of the day is in Belur. This city was the early capital of the Hoysala Empire. As such, it was where the Hoysala kings lived in the 11th-century. The city was so esteemed by the Hoysalas that it was referred to as “earthly Vaikuntha” (Vishnu’s abode).
The place that makes this trip worthwhile is the Chennakeshava Temple. This temple is dedicated to Vishnu and has been an active Hindu temple since its founding. It took 103 years to finish and it’s easy to see why. The carvings are incredibly detailed.
The artwork depicts scenes of secular life in the 12th century, it shows dancers and musicians, as well as a narration of Hindu texts in images. Apparently there are also friezes from the Kama Sutra. I’ve been trying to find these, but unfortunately I have not been able to spot them. If you find them, please let me know!
The one thing to remember is socks. Yes, socks. You’ll have a hard time trying to visit Indian temples without socks. Trust me… I’ve tried. I had to run from shadow to shadow in order not to burn my feet. We were here early in the morning though, so it wasn’t even that bad. Imagine what it would be like in midday!
Halebidu
The next temple to add to your itinerary is in Halebidu. The capital of the Hoysala Empire in the 12th century. So if you visit this temple after the one in Belur you’re going in the right order in history.
The temple in this town is dedicated to Shiva. All temples dedicated to Shiva contain at least one Nandi bull, and this one has two.
The whole temple is carved from soapstone. Similar to Belur, it is notable for its sculptures, intricate reliefs, detailed friezes as well its history, iconography, inscriptions in North Indian and South Indian scripts.
Shravanabelagola
The last stop of the day is on the way back to Mysore. Shravanabelagola is home to a huge statue. One that is 17 metres (57 foot) high. The Gommateshwara statue is dedicated to the Jain figure Bahubali. It is one of the largest free standing statues in the world.
It’s quite a climb but it’s worth it.
Not only will you have a beautiful view of the surrounding area, the statue itself is quite a sight in itself. I was there quite late, the stairs were about to be closed, but luckily we were allowed inside. It was just our luck that we were also able to see a ritual.
Practical Info:
Belur: Opening times 7am-1pm and 2pm to 8pm (in 2019) – Entrance free
Halebidu: 6.30am – 9pm (in 2019) – Entrance free
Shravanabelagola: 6.30am – 11am and 3.30pm – 6.30pm (in 2019) – Entrance free
Check with your driver for the latest timings. These things are prone to change in India
