A Slice of Belavadi

When Rukmangada gave a piece of land nestled among Western Ghats in Karnataka, India, to his younger daughter, the local populace fondly referred to it as Chikka magalur -- town of the younger daughter, little must he have realised that people from all over the globe will visit his daughters place for various reasons. If one traverses along the region, one cannot be blind to its natural beauty which is riddled with hills and dales, rivulets and streams, trees and shrubs, animals, birds and insects of every hue and shape. Besides natural beauty, the place is also well known for its architectural splendour as it houses a number of splendid temples by the virtue of having been the seat of the Hoysala kingdom.

Travelers who have come to Chikkamagalur must have realised that a short stay will never do justice to their trip if they have a penchant for savouring the best that man and nature have to offer in the said region. Many of them compromise on their trip due to various constraints but they promise to come back again to take in more of the place.

If you happen to be one such traveler, you will feel rewarded if you detour 29 kilometers towards the southeast of the district and find yourself in Belavadi. One could use local buses or the services of the car service if you do not already have your own transport to reach the spot. This ancient township houses one of the lesser known yet a fine specimen of Hoysala architecture by way of a Veeranarayana temple.

The temple, a signature relic of its age and its creators has not failed to attract connoisseurs of art and devout devotees to its premises over the centuries. The three forms of Maha Vishnu which adorn the temple in individual sanctum sanctorum form the main cynosure of this place besides the beautiful temple premises.

It is believed that this temple was originally built in the thirteenth century by Hoysala Veera Ballala II for installing the imposing four armed-standing image of Maha Vishnu. Subsequent rulers added two more premises to the main temple in a way that complemented the main temple. Lord Krishna in the Kalinga Narthana pose and Venu Gopalaswamy, the two variations of the lord have been installed in two symmetrical sanctorum which flank the main structure on either side.

 Though one would think it to be an anathema to alter the sanctity of the place it is interesting to note that each architect has done his best to embellish the temple like a piece of jewellery.

Archaeologists are of the opinion that the building material Chlorite schist which lends itself to chiseling coupled with the skills of talented and imaginative artists has resulted in such amazing creations. Though the temple at Belavadi does not fall in the pattern of its cousins in Belur and Halebid in terms of intricate sculptures, it stands apart in terms architecture and completion.

The temple premise consists of a series of quadrangles of different sizes which were probably put to use for conducting public gatherings. There are several closed quadrangles called Mantapas with good ventilation probably to conduct meetings for niche groups or during times of inclement weather conditions. The large spaces are punctuated with typical Hoysala pillars connecting the main shrine from two ancillary ones that flank it.

 The walls of the temple appear to have been the veritable canvass for the sculptor who has left no stone unturned to make it stunningly charming. A connoisseur of art will vouch for the fact if one does not spend at least ten minutes looking at the intricately worked ceiling then it will amount to insulting the artists who have painstakingly worked on them.

 The local population believes that the history of Belvadi dates back to the Mahabharata. They also refer to their native land as Ekachakranagara where the Pandavas and Kunthi spent their time incognito after the lac palace was burnt. It is believed that Bheema killed Bakasura who lived in the adjoining forest. He also happened to marry Hidimba after slaying her brother around the same region.

The road to Belavadi has vastly improved over the years and has enough shops and small eateries to take care of the necessities of tourists who visit the temple. The local people who are multi-linguists are also very enterprising for they seem to know what exactly the tourist wants. They strongly believe that the presence of Veeranarayana in their midst is to ensure that they have enough to sustain themselves and those who are dependent on them!