Stories that stones tell

Belur was the first capital of the Hoysala Empire. Its temple was built on a platform and is a star-shaped site

Madam, it's so quiet in that temple, you will hear a pin drop," Jaikanth, the restaurant manager at our Chikmagalur hotel assured us as we savoured a light Malnad breakfast, the regional cuisine of the slopes of Karnataka's Western Ghats. Moments later, we were on our way for a crash course in stone architecture. The 'temple' he was referring to was in a sleepy village called Belavadi, 30 km away, and our first stop on a three-halt day trip.

As we drove down the Chikmagalur-Javagal highway, the terrain reminded us of grainy frames from TV-binging on RK Narayan's Malgudi Days. We imagined Swami and his friends knocking the ball over our heads while we sped past quaint hamlets, paddy fields and a topography that our geology-loving travelling companion reasoned to be "because it has a robust groundwater table."

The Hoysala emblem in Chennakeshava temple features a mythical warrior Sala fighting with a tiger

Less is more
Thirty minutes later, our driver pulled over from the main road, and we came face-to-face with the Veera Narayana Temple that rises like a stone citadel in the middle of a nondescript settlement. It was built in the trikuta (three-shrined) style in AD 1200 by King Veera Ballala II using soapstone as its chief material. Belavadi, according to legend, was the site where Pandava Bheema killed the demon Bakasura, and thus saved the village. Slowly, we soaked in the detailing of this magnificent, albeit lesser-known site. And, Jaikanth was right.

Lathe-turned pillars at Belavadi's Veer Narayana temple

The silence made the experience mesmeric. From its lintels at the entrance to the wall reliefs on its parapets, the pillar-lined passage that connected both halls and finally, the temperature-cooled floor that made for the ideal space to gaze at this gem in the middle of nowhere, we were in awe. Then, in a flash, the scene changed. Three cars and a van filled with devotees accompanied by the resident priest spilled into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple for the Saturday darshan. We had our version, too, and were thrilled with the morning coup, minus the bustle.

The intricate craftsmanship at Halebid's Hoysaleshwara temple is a salute to high level of skill by the empire's artisans. Pics/Fiona Fernandez

Stone opera
Next, we headed to Halebid (or Halebidu), which is 12 km away. The scene here was a contrast - queues, sprawling lawns filled with picnicking families, a poorly-executed ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) museum, and even a couple posing for their pre-shaadi portfolio. The Hoysaleshwara temple is the big-ticket draw; it was built in AD 1121 during the reign of Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleshwara. Historians and restorers swear that this proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the finest examples of South Asian stone architecture.

As we drew closer to the Shiva temple's facades, we noticed that several sculptures displayed a 3D imagery. The extensive reliefs that include sensuous apsaras, gods and goddesses from the great epics, guardian lions, and elephants, including a mammoth dancing Ganesha at the entrance, reminded us of some of the facades we had spotted in far-off Angkor Watt in Cambodia. Another key feature were the Nandi mandapas; however, we couldn't miss the unaesthetic patch-up job by ASI to recreate some pillars that had been damaged due to battle, time and weather.

Capital gains
By now, we wondered what could possibly be in store at our last halt, Belur (or Beluru), a 17-km-drive from Halebid, especially since we had already witnessed such finesse and craftsmanship. This first capital of the Hoysalas was home to the Chennakeshava temple complex; we spotted the striking façade as we drove into the temple town. Located inside a rectangular complex, it took 103 years to complete (AD 1220). But we were in for a shock. Something didn't seem right when we craned our neck while braving the afternoon sun for a longer scan of its richly carved exteriors. As it turned out, its main gopura at the entrance was layered with multiple coats of yellow paint! We wondered why this visual aberration was given the nod by ASI, the designated protectors of heritage monuments in India.

Shaking off the disappointment, the sights inside this Vishnu temple took our mind off, particularly its symmetrical miniature gopuras, dancing apsaras, musicians, and scenes from daily life, as well as episodic panels from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Inside the main space, we spotted the massive navaranga platform, where devadasis would dance; here, the oohs and aahs from a group nearby merged with the chants of an ongoing puja causing a clash of echoes, sounds that are atypical to a visit to
any popular temple in India.

Above us, the ceilings had their own stories to tell - from its hollow domes to the intricately carved figurines that watched over us - every inch of artistry was a silent tribute to the hundreds of hands that built this grand celebration in stone. Little wonder that the idiom 'etched in stone' has a million connotations. We sure discovered a few more.

FACT FILE
BEST TIME: Now, till mid March
WHERE TO STAY: Chikmagalur is the closest town. It's your best bet for a range of stay options from budget hotels and homestays, to luxurious indulgent spaces set in plantations overlooking the Western Ghats of Karnataka. All three temple sites are well connected by good roads from here.
NEAREST AIRPORT: Mangalore (152 km), though the nearly five-hour drive from Bangalore (270 km) is the better option due to scenic, smooth roads via NH75.
NEAREST RAILWAY STATION: Chikmagalur has a railway station that was opened in 2013 with limited connectivity. Hassan (60 km) and Kadur (40 km) are the nearest important rail heads.

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