The South Indian Triangle – Shravanabelagola – Belur - Halebidu

This trip can be completed in 2 days from Bangalore. We drove down as its about 200kms. We left at 6am and had to pass by Nelmangala. Take a left and you will reach NH75. In about 20 mins you will pass by this hotel called Sambhrama. Do try the tatte idlis there as they are just too delicious. After breakfast you can drive down to the first destination – Shravanabelagola.

There is a Jain temple situated on top of a hill and a big statue of Gomateshwara. You will have to climb up 700 steps to reach the top. Trust me its worth it. Try climbing up before 12pm as it gets very hot later on. This is the scared pilgrimage of the Jains. Spend sometime there and then you can head towards Hassan. Parking we had to pay 50INR however the entry was free.

We had booked our hotel to stay the night in Hassan called United Kites. It was in the outskirts of Hassan but the place was good. After checking in we had lunch and then headed to a village called Settihalli Village.

A must visit church in Settihalli village called the Rosary Church. It was built by the French however now its in ruins since it was built on the banks of the Hemavati river and during the monsoons it submerges in the river. We were able to see the church which was half in water. Take the ferry ride to go around the church it’s 50INR per person. Try coming back before the sun sets as it becomes pretty dark to walk back to the main road which is approximately 500m.

Next day try leaving soon after breakfast and head towards Belur which is 35kms from Hassan. Belur is famous for a number of temples and the most famous one is the Chennakesava temple. The wonderful stone carvings and the story it depicts is just beautiful. Check out the pond in the temple with the fish and turtles. There are many more temples to visit so if you get a chance and have time do visit them.

Once you are done with Belur you can head towards Halebidu which is just 20kms from Belur. Visit the Hoysaleswara Temple and again the beautiful cravings and the Nandi statue which is in the courtyard. We spent a good 1hour in the temple and we head back to Bangalore.

This trip had lovely memories of the rich culture, heritage and stories that Karnataka has to offer. The drive is breathtaking with the awesome coconut groves. Don't forget to ask a farmer for some coconuts :)