Beautiful Belur, the quaint little town is set elegantly on the banks of river Yagachi amidst lush surroundings. It was chosen as the capital of the Hoysalas, after the sacking and destruction of their capital at Dwarasamudra (Halebid), by the Delhi Sultans. The Hoysalas ruled this region between the 11th and 13th centuries. They were great patrons of art and architecture and built several magnificent shrines during their 300 years reign. The temples and monuments at Belur are indeed the best Hoysala creations, showcasing their amazing architecture and sculptures in full glory. The Hoysala temples are characterized by typical star-shaped ground plans and are usually set on a platform. Today, this small town basking in the warmth of its luxurious greenery and glorious past is regarded as ‘one of the jewels’ of South Indian architecture.

Chenna Keshava Temple: The magnificent shrine dedicated to Lord Vijayanarayan, one of the twenty-four incarnations of Vishnu, was built to commemorate the victory of Hoysalas over the Cholas in the great battle of Talakkad. Some also believe that it was constructed when Vishnuvardhana adopted Vaishnavism under the influence of the great guru Sri Ramanujacharya. Its construction commenced in 1116 A.D., at the inštance of king Vishnuvardhana, later on, his son and grandson completed the work. According to historical records, it took about 103 years to complete this profusely sculpted masterpiece of Hoysala architecture. The huge temple complex enclosed by high walls has a garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum), a sukhanasi (vestibule), a navaranga mandapa and many smaller shrines, mandapams and other structures. The star-shaped main sanctum is a homogenous architectural unit set on a raised platform in the center of a spacious paved courtyard surrounded by subsidiary shrines and colonnades. Virtually every inch of the shrine is intricately carved. The outer walls are adorned with Jagati or railed platform sculpted with horizontal rows of friezes with carvings of elephants, simulates or lions, and scrolls of small female figures in ornamental niches and intersected here and there by larger vertical images. The lower friezes are not so extensively carved as in other Hoysala temples, but the work higher up on the walls is simply outstanding. Singularly beautiful are the 38 freestanding bracket figures angled between the upper walls and the overhanging eaves around the outside of the temple and navranga (pillared hall). The brackets are adorned with voluptuous beauties known as Madanikas in various dancing and ritual postures and depict an amazing variety of sculpted forms. The main sanctum enshrines a beautifully ornamented 6 ft. high image of Chenna Keshava, literally meaning the ‘Beautiful’ Keshava in the Kannada language. Other important Hoysala shrines at Belur are Kappe (frog) Chennigaraya Temple and Veera Narayana Temple.

Badami, the beautiful capital of early Chalukyas from 540 to 757 AD., nestles in a spectacular gorge surrounded by gold-rust sandstone cliffs. It is indeed a treasure house of architecture and sculpture and has some of the earliest and finest examples of rock-cut caves and free-standing temple architecture. Caves: The famous four cave temples carved into a cliff on the southern side are full of splendid sculptures. The 6th century Cave-1, dedicated to Lord Shiva is the oldest and has a sculpture of 18 armed Natraja, the dancing Shiva. There are also figures of Ardhanarishvara, Harihara, Nandi, Parvati, and Garuda, etc. Cave No. 2 is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is simpler in design. Some of the fine sculptures here are of Varaha, the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Naga, and Trivikrama. The large and beautiful Cave No. 3 is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and enshrines an enormous four-armed figure of Lord Vishnu seated on his serpent couch. Cave 4 carved during the 7th – 8th centuries is the only Jain temple in Badami.

Jambulinga Temple: The ancient temple complex in the heart of the town dates back to 699 A.D. There are shrines of Lord Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma, which open into a common mandapa.

Buddhist Temple: It is located in a natural cave near the ancient Bhutnath Lake.

North Fort: Within the fort are temples, relics of a granary, a treasury, and a watchtower providing an insight into the history of Badami.

Archaeological Museum: It houses specimens from Badami, Aivalli, and Pattadkal.

Around Badami

Aivalli (Aihole) (43 kms.)

Aivalli, the Cradle of Indian Temple Architecture’ on the banks of river Malprabha, was the capital of Chalukyas between the 4th and 7th centuries. The Chalukyas experimented here with the idea of building temples and one can see temple architecture from its nascent stage to more complex edifices. There are over 140 exquisitely carved temples, most of them are dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

Temple of Durga: This 7th-century shrine is the largest and finest monument of Aivalli. Its semi-circular apse surrounded by an open colonnade and remains of curvilinear shikhara is unique. The main figures at the shrine are – Chamunda Devi trampling the buffalo demon, Narasimha, and aspects of Lord Shiva. There is a small museum behind the Durga temple, exhibiting works of Chalukyan sculptors.

Banashankari Temple (5 kms.)

It is one of the most ancient temples of Karnataka. Harishchandra Teertha, a large sacred pond in front of the shrine is a fine example of Chalukyan temple architecture.

Mahkuta (5 kms.)

The Shaiva pilgrim center set amidst lush surroundings is famous for The Mahakuteshwara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Pattadkal (20 kms.)

Pattadkal, the second capital of Badami Chalukyas, set on the banks of river Malaprabha is yet another grand showcase of Chalukyas style of architecture. The cluster of magnificent temples at the foothills has been listed by UNESCO as a ‘World Heritage Site. Most of the shrines date back to the 7th and 8th centuries, but the earliest temples were built here during the 3rd and 4th centuries. These temples represent the evolution of the South Indian style of temple architecture. There are 10 main temples and the largest among them is the Virupaksheshvara temple. It has a huge gateway with intricate inscriptions depicting scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharta. In front of the temple is a 2.6 meters high sculpture of Nandi.

Beautiful Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka is one of the prettiest and cleanest cities of India. It is popularly called the ‘Garden City and has earned several other epitaphs like an Air-conditioned City’, for its salubrious climate throughout the year; the “Silicon Valley’ of India, for its rapidly growing software market and the ‘City of Draught Beer, etc. The foundation of the present-day Bangalore was laid in 1537, by Kempe Gowda, a Magadi chieftain, owing allegiance to the king of Vijayanagar. The cantonment area of Bangalore was developed by the British in the early 19th century, after the fall of Tipu Sultan.

Vidhan Soudha: This majestic structure towering over the Cubbon Park, houses both the Secretariat and the State Legislature, as well as several other State government offices. The magnificent edifice built of granite in the neo Dravidian style of architecture is one of the most spectacular buildings of India. The four-storeyed building covering a total plinth area of over 5,00,000 sq. ft. was conceived and executed by Kengal Hanumanthaiah, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka in 1956. The structure is beautifully illuminated on Sunday evenings.

Attara Kacheri (High Court): The magnificent two-storeyed building housing the High Court of Karnataka was built in 1867. It lies in front of the Vidhan Soudha and was originally built to house the Secretariat.

Lalbagh Botanical Gardens: The beautiful garden was laid out in 1760, by Haider Ali and later developed by his son Tipu Sultan. It sprawls over an area of 240 acres and is one of the most beautiful botanical parks of the country. In 1840, an excellent glasshouse was built resembling the famous Crystal Palace of London.

Cubbon Park & Museums: The park designed by Lt. Gen. Mark Cubbon, in 1864, covers an area of over 300 acres in the heart of the city. It is studded with some splendid sculptures and red Gothic buildings, which house the Public Library, the High Court, the Government Museum and the Technological & Industrial Museum. The Children’s Park inside the garden is exclusively for kids. The Jawahar Bal Bhavan here has a children’s center.

The Government Museum & Venkatappa Art Gallery: It was established in 1886, and is one of the oldest museums of India. The art gallery here has paintings and sculptures done by K. Venkatappa, a renowned artist from the royal court of Mysore.

Visweswaraiah Industrial & Technological Museum: This interesting museum is dedicated to Sir M. Visweswaraiah, the architect of modern Karnataka.

Shiva Statue & ISKCON Temple: The beautiful Hare Krishna shrine on the hillock is a fine blend of modern technology and spiritual harmony. It affords a fine view of the surroundings. A 65 ft. tall Shiva statue is one of the new attractions of the city.

The Fort: It was originally a mud-brick structure built by Kempegowda in 1537. Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan rebuilt the structure in the 18th century. Most of the fort was badly damaged during the wars with the British.

Tipu Sultan’s Palace: The construction of the palace was started by Haider Ali and completed þy his son, Tipu Sultan in 1791. The wooden building resembling the Daria Daulat Bagh at Srirangapatnam and houses a museum.

Maharajah’s Bangalore Palace: The magnificent granite palace built-in 1887, by the Wodeyar’s of Mysore resembles the famous Windsor Castle in England.

Karnataka Folk Art Museum: It displays a wide range of folk arts, costumes, toys, and extensive recorded music collection. Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium: The modern planetarium was built in 1989. An attractive Musical Fountain with dancing waters is set opposite the planetarium.

Dodda Ganapathi Temple: It is one of the oldest temples of Bengaluru. There is a huge monolithic statue of Lord Ganapathi, which attracts a large number of devotees.

Sri Gavi Gangadhareswara Temple: The Shiva temple built by Kempe Gowda is famous for a unique event at sunrise on ‘Makar Sankranti’ (14th Jan.). The sun rays pass through an arch between the horns of the Nandi bull outside the temple and illuminate the idol of Lord Gavi Gangadareshwara inside the main shrine.

Dharamraja Temple (Nagarathpet): It enshrines fine images of Lord Krishna and Sri Dharamaraja Swami, the hero of epic Mahabharta. The sacred shrine is also associated with the famous Karaga festival celebrated in March/April.

Basavangudi or the Bull Temple: It was built by Kempegowda on the Bugle Hill in Dravidian style. A large monolith of Nandi, the celestial bull measuring 4.57 meters in height and 6.10 meters in length is breathtaking.

St. Mary’s Basilica: It was originally built in 1818, by Abbe Dubois and was transformed into a huge Gothic-style church by Rev. Kleiner in 1882.

Venkataramanaswamy Temple: This ancient temple near Tipu Sultan’s Palace was built by Maharaja Chikka Devaraya Wodiyar. It was destroyed during the third Mysore war and was restored by Maharaja Chikka Krishna Devaraya.

Ulsoor Lake: It is one of the eight lakes built by Kempe Gowda around Bangalore The1.5 sq. kms. has picturesque tiny islands and boating facilities are available.

Around Bengaluru

Whitefield (16 kms.)

It is famous for the ashram of world-renowned saint philosopher Sri Satya Sai Baba. The International Tech Park, one of the most modern and successful software tech parks in the country is also located here. This export-oriented software center has contributed immensely in making Bangalore the IT Capital’ or the ‘Silicon Valley of India.

Bannerghatta National Park (22 kms.)

The beautiful park covers an area of 104 sq. kms. amidst thickly wooded hills. It is inhabited by bison, elephant, panther, wild boar., jackal, lion-tailed monkey, etc. There is also a lion and tiger safari, a crocodile and snake farm, and a mini zoo.

Hesaraghatta Lake (25 kms.)

The beautiful lake set amidst lush fertile landscape is famous for its boating and windsurfing facilities. The region teems with orchards, poultry, and sheep farms. An Indo – Danish dairy project has also been established here.

Devarayanadurga (71 kms.)

The beautiful hill resort is famous for Namada Chilume, a natural water spring, said to be created by Lord Rama. The Namada Chilume Sanctuary is about 10 kms. from Devarayanadurg amidst a thickly forested landscape.

Nandi Hills (60 kms.)

It was the summer resort of Tipu Sultan, who strengthened the existing fortifications on the hills in the 18th century. Later on, it became a favorite resort of the British. There are two ancient temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Amrita Sarovar Lake.

Nrityagrama (28 kms.)

This unique experimental village is dedicated to the gurukul tradition of learning to revive the Indian classical dance and music. It is a winner of the rural architecture award. Vasantha Habba, the annual festival celebrated here attracts a large number of visitors.

Muthyala Maduvu (Pearl Valley) (40 kms.)

The scenic site is named after the small pool created by the waterfalls, which looks like a pond of pearl”. There is also a small temple over here.