Visit Belur & Halebid, India

The two remote and beautiful temple sites of Belur and Halebid at the heart of the Hoysala Empire date from the 12th century and together form perhaps the richest repository of Hindu art and sculpture in the country.

Temple decorations

The facades are richly decorated with intricate stone carvings and the interiors are filled with countless filigreed pillars and friezes depicting tales from the Ramayana and the Mahabarata.

Sravanabenagola

While travelling to this area a visit to hilltop Sravanabenagola, a significant pilgrimage centre based around the world’s tallest monolithic sculpture, is recommended. Reached by 635 steps, the figure of the naked Jain saint Gomateswara stands 18 metres high and is devoid of any decoration except creepers twisting their way up his body.