Immortal beauty in stone---Belur Temple, Karnataka (South India)

Belur was another capital of the Hoysalas. Today it is famed for its magnificent temple complex, visible after entering an ornate gateway, called “gopuram.”
The star shaped main temple took 103 years to be completed and stands on a platform. The carvings on the outer walls include figures of dancing girls, scenes from everyday life, mythological figures and stories and of course, deities.
Inside the temple is a gigantic statue of the deity and filigreed pillars and sculptures.
There are other smaller but equally impressive temples in the same complex.
The temples of Halebid and Belur are made of soapstone---soft underground, extremely hard when exposed to the air!

Poetry in stone.....Halebid Temple (Karnataka, South India)

Halebid was the ancient capital of the Hoysala kings of South India, who built a number of magnificent temples. We reached there around noon, and after lunch at the KSTDC hotel, we went to the Hoysaleswara temple (just opposite). The temple is spread out on a star shaped base, with ornate doorways, while the outer walls have intricate figures depicting scenes from the ancient Indian epics. There are carvings of Hindu deities, animals, birds and friezes depicting the lives of the Hoysala kings. We were fortunate to have an excellent guide Mr.Aslam (who we later heard is also the tourist officer) who spared no effort to tell us about the history and highlight the salient features of the sculptures--we were impressed by his knowledge and passion for the subject. The beauty of the sculptures and stone carvings cannot be described in words..we plan to return soon!