Our Belur onward journey started early morning around 7 AM from Srirangapatna, We get into a rural landscape as we drove for half an hour. The early morning sun and dew fills the road with quiet a few vehicles. We stopped by a road side shop to have breakfast. Ate Thatte idlies, vada, sambhar and chutney for Rs.80. Simple but delicious food particularly one that satisfies your hunger prangs. Drove further towards Belur as per google maps. In the last leg we had to redirect from the highway towards a small path that leads to Lakkunda. This is where we have booked our home stay. Lonely path with coffee estates on both sides leads to this area. The home stay is on the first floor with the owner and family on the ground floor. Sunil became a hit with us in the first meet itself. He along with his mom, aunt and kids took care of us for the next few days.
We were given filter coffees and left to settle down in our room. It was a simple queen size bed and a clean rest room attached. Internet wi-fi was available but only in the reception area. While Sunil's aunt prepared lunch for us we discussed on the places to visit. We had veg lunch - rice, gravy, appalam, curd and pickle. Asked them to add rasam to our lunch menu. After sometime we left to Belur temple. It is some 18 kms from our place of stay. We reached there in 1.5 hours. On the way is the Yegachi Dam where boating is available. Just before getting to the temple we saw a huge temple pond and a new temple under construction on its banks. The Belur - Chennakeshava temple is a very ancient one. Built by the Hoysalas it is a marvel in stones. The work on stones are remarkable and unbelievable.
We spent detailed time in each temple to go through the intricate temple structures. It has taken the Hoysala Architects more than 100 years to come up with this temple, however there are still some work left incomplete. Chennakesava is the main deity. Vishnuvardhan, a Hoysala king is said to have built this temple. The carved pillars at the temple are the USP of Hoysala architecture. The temple are hosted on stage like stone structures here. There is a dedicated temple for Andal. The temple walls have sculptures from top to bottom. There is bands of designs sculpted. The bottom most layer also have sculptures like horses and elephants. Horses have designed wardrobes on them and even the elephants. War scenes are depicted so intricately. Palanquins are done as though very real. One can even see sculptures of royals sitting on the balcony. Scenes from the Mahabharatha seem to occupy the temple walls. Hordes and hordes of elephants occupy the lower band on the walls.
By 5 PM we drove back to our home stay and called it a day. Lakkunda shots -
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