Belur

Once the capital city of the Hoysala dynasty, Belur is home to the Chennakesava Temple known as the ‘jewel in stone’ – a title it’s held unsurpassed since 1116 AD. With nearly ten thousand intricately carved sculptures that bring to life, stories from the Hindu myths and routine from the day and age of the Hoysalas, this temple dedicated to the “beautiful” avatar of Vishnu, is indeed the epitome of beauty. The main attraction in Belur is the Chennakesava temple complex which contains the Chennakesava Temple as the centre piece, surrounded by the KappeChennigraya temple builtby Shantaladevi, queen of king Vishnuvardhana. It took 103 years to complete and you can see why. The facade of the temple is filled with intricate sculptures. Inside are hand-lathe-turned filigreed pillars.