About Veera Narayana Temple - Belavadi

Chikkamagalur district of Karnataka is known for its scenic beauty and temples. The temples such as that at Belur, Halebeedu, and Belavadi flaunt Hoysala architecture and craftsmanship. Belavadi is a small village that hosts the Veera Narayana temple. It is said that the prince Bheema killed Bakasura (demon) at this place to protect the people.

 

The Veera Narayana temple is about 25 kilometers from Belur and about 9 kilometers from Halebeedu. Tourists flock and flood Belur and Halebeedu; however, most of them aren't aware of the temple at Belavadi. Thus, when we visited the temple, we were the only people other than the priests at the temple.

 

The Veera Narayana temple is a Vaishnava temple and has three shrines. The temple is made of soapstone, and was built during 1206 AD by Hoysala Empire King Veera Ballala II. As you enter, you are greeted by idols of elephants, and the common mantap. The deities are different forms of Lord Vishnu. At the centre shrine, Lord Narayana stands tall (8 feet), has four hands, and stands on padmasana. The idol is absolutely beautiful.

 

The southern shrine belongs to Lord Venugopala (8 feet tall). This is a form of Lord Krishna playing his flute. When I saw this idol, I was totally mesmerised. The lord standing in tribangi position under the tree, playful smile on the His face, and almost closed eyes! Along the side of the idol, you can see carvings of shravana kumaras, gopikas, cows and calves, and gopalakas dancing, and Rukmini and Sathyabhama. This idol is gorgeous.

 

The northern shrine hosts Lord Yoganarashimha (7 feet tall). The lord sits in yogamudra and wears the yoga patti. In two of lord's hands are shanka (conch) and chakra (disc); the other two hands rest on the knees. Sridevi and Bhoodevi stand next to the lord on either side.  

 

I took a while to seep in the beauty of the idols. The hands of the craftsman must have had magic to transform a plain lifeless soapstone in to charming idols! I must have gone round the temple more than three times observing the beauty. We spent more than 4-5 hours there.

 

A must-visit place for anyone planning a trip to Chikkamagalur district!

Elephants and decorations

Temple complex and pillars

Carvings on the ceilings

Side view of temple complex and a gopuram

Sculptures of Lords

Friezes

References:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veera_Narayana_Temple,_Belavadi
• http://templesofkarnataka.com/navigation/details.php?id=3

Regards,

Asha

Govardhana Giridhari - A frieze at Belavadi

The Veera Narayana temple, Belavadi was built around 1200 AD by Hoysala Empire King Veera Ballala II. If you plan to travel to Karnataka, ensure that you visit this temple. It's gorgeous!

 

 Walking around the temple, you can see this beautiful piece of stonework. The stonework has been destroyed during invasion. The centre piece depicts Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhana hill; the left and right pieces show the cows and cowherd. The story goes like this - when the angry Lord Indra lashed rains, Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan hill and held it up. His people and cattle took shelter under the hill. Lord Krishna was the epitome of kindness.

 

Participating in Thursday Challenge - OLD (Buildings, People, Antiques, Books, Food, Vehicles,...)! Please also see photos submitted by other participants.

 

 

Detailed write-up about the temple - http://onholidaytours.blogspot.in/2013/11/about-veera-narayana-temple-belavadi.html

 

Regards,

Asha



Veera Narayana Temple, Belavadi

Wordless Wednesday!

 

An excellent example of Hoysala temple architecture, at Veera Narayan temple, Belavadi, Karnataka, India!

Detailed write-up about the temple - http://onholidaytours.blogspot.in/2013/11/about-veera-narayana-temple-belavadi.html

Regards,

Asha

Bylakuppe - Jan 2012

On the Republic Day holiday, we were in a mood to drive out of town. Our inital plan was to stop at Kokrebellur, and then proceed towards Bylakuppe. But because we woke up late and started our journey late, we couldn't visit Kokarebellur; drove straight to Bylakuppe.

Bylakuppe is a Tibetian (refugee) settlement, and hosts the beautiful Golden Temple, SOS Village, Nunnery, etc. Bylakuppe is about 220 kilometers from Bangalore; takes about four and half hours to reach. The route includes the following places:

Bangalore - Kengeri - Bidadi - Ramanagara - Channapatna - Mandya - Hunsur - Bylakuppe

The traffic was crazy in the morning; many people driving out of town. We stopped at Bidadi for breakfast; the White and soft idlis were a delightful treat. As we continued our journey, the colorful wooden toys of Channapatna greeted us; next, the sugarcane and paddy fields of Mandya. The cranes sitting on the fields resembled small dots on a sheet of paper. I have always loved this part of Karnataka.

Thatte idli

Throughout the journey, we saw vendors selling tender coconut water. How could we resist the temptation of drink one or two tender coconuts? We also parceled two more for later use. About 2-3 kilometers to Bylakuppe, there is a Cafe Coffee Day; we stretched, relaxed, and ate our lunch. A few morsels of food inside our stomach, we were ready to drive on.

As we entered Bylakuppe, we saw prayer flags, agricultural lands allocated to Tibetians, houses they occupy, small hotels (Kerala hotels!), and monks. Kerala hotels serving Tibetian food (along with native cuisine)! That's the beauty of India. We drove past the Nunnery, and headed start towards the Golden Temple or monastery.

There is no entrance fees to the monastery. Just remember that you are entering a sacred temple, and that you need to respect it and respect privacy of monks or people living there. The temple complex is kept clean; please do not dirty it. Most of the times, we tend to talk loudly due to our excitement; here, maintain silence. Let the Gods, murals, and architecture talk about themselves.

The temple door is painted Red and has handles made of brass. When you enter inside, you'll realize that that door was indeed a door to heaven. In front of you are idols of three gigantic gods - Guru Padmasambhava, Lord Buddha, and Buddha Amitayus. The Lord Buddha's idol is 60 ft. in height; whereas, the other idols are 58 ft. All idols are made of copper, plated with gold, and hence the name - Golden Temple.

Take your time to see and seep in the beauty of this colorful and divine place. I have a few photos for you.

Entrance

Bell

Tower

Brass door handle

The Lords

Goddess

Dalai Lama

Smaller

Dragon

Reflection of Lord Buddha on the floor

Mural

Mural

One of the pillars

Prayer Flags

Young monks

Offerings

On our way back, we had dinner at Kamat Lokaruchi. The roads were peaceful, and we reached home earlier than expected. Which place will I blog about next, you ask? I don't know yet. :-)

Regards,
Asha

Hampi – Journey to the golden era – 1

A trip to Hampi had been due for a couple of years. Neither my husband nor I had previously visited this place, and so, we were eagerly waiting for a long weekend to drive to Hampi. What better time could we have chosen than the Independence Day weekend to visit the bygone glorious era?

We quickly made a checklist to check weather conditions, reserve room, check condition of vehicle, and take a printout of the map. Of course, we also had to complete all our errands and chores before taking a vacation.

Our route was from Bangalore - Tumkur - Sira - Chitradurga - Hospet. For details about the route that we took, see Map-Route.

Though most travel blogs or agents suggest that the best season to visit Hampi is during its festivals (October to February), we preferred the rainy season; any season other than summer is fine. A word of caution if you visit the place during monsoon – do not mess with the overflowing river. During this season, the coracle rides will be suspended. You will miss the coracle crossing; but you can always take the longer road route to visit the places on the other side of the river. The country side is awesome, and will be worth the long drive.

Hospet (and Hampi) offers you hotels to suit your budget. We stayed at the Hotel Malligi, Hospet. The hotel provides neat and comfortable rooms at a reasonable rate. The food at their restaurant is tasty. The hospitality is good. And, best of all, the hotel is closer to the Bus station, Railway station, and the city center. The other hotels are the Royal Orchid, Hotel Krishna, Hotel Karthik, and others. On the Hospet-Hampi road, you can also stay at Vijayshree Heritage Village.

On the beautiful Saturday morning, we headed towards Hampi. The day was cloudy, and we prayed that the lovely weather accompanied us during our journey. And it did! We stopped for breakfast at the Kamat Hotel on the Bangalore-Tumkur road. The place was crowded with travelers. Seemed like a big breakfast party; only that there was no host and that you had to pay your own bills!

Plenty of trucks and heavy-duty vehicles greeted us on the road. Surprising we did not find many cars on the road. Oh well, that made us the sole users of the road! The road was bordered with fields. The country-side was beautiful. Farmers grew maize, corn, onion, cotton, sunflower, and other crops. Lakes and river supply water; some fields have bore-wells. Of course, we took the camera, jumped out of the car, and marched into the fields. First, we absorbed the fresh air and sunk in the beauty of the plants, and then clicked a few snaps to save the sweet memory. The truck drivers seemed amused, and would honk when they saw us in the fields.

In my opinion, each terrain is different. Each road narrates a different story. Each culture fascinates us in a unique way. The river, lush fields, cloudy sky, fresh air, and a great travel companion are similar to a gift basket with wonderful goodies. As we drove further, we spotted one windmill after another. They were erected on several hill ranges, and stood tall. When the blades moved, they seem to greet us – “Hello! Welcome.” Click, click, and click went our camera. That’s our way to acknowledge their beauty.

Just before Hospet, we stopped the car to see the backwaters of the dam. Oh, so much water that the waves splashed against the retaining walls like the waves in the ocean!  All the roads were fantastic except a few potholes on the road that led to the Hospet town. Hospet is a cute little established, and one cannot get lost in those streets but can miss a road. We can see a lot of canals; be careful when you walk or drive at night. It’s nice to see people lazing near the canals, washing clothes or vehicles, or generally gossiping. The breeze that blows over the canals is refreshing.

Leaving you with this refreshing feeling. In the next article, will write about our day at Hampi.

(More photos at http://rake-and-spade.blogspot.com/2011/08/glimpse-of-fields-on-way-to-hampi.html.)

Next:
Part 2: http://asha-ram.blogspot.com/2011/08/hampi-virupaksha-temple-2.html
Part 3: http://asha-ram.blogspot.com/2011/08/hampi-hemakuta-hill-sasivekalu-ganesha.html
Part 4: http://asha-ram.blogspot.in/2011/08/hampi-lakshmi-narasimha-and-badavilinga.html

Regards,

Asha