Halebid and Belur

The first day of January 2004 was spent amidst the ruins of the Hoysala dynasty. History has always had me in awe and I was more than thrilled to make a day trip to the ancient cities of Halebid and Belur to witness the splendour of the 12th century epoch.
As I entered the temple complex, I was greeted by the rather intrusive guides trying desperately to be engaged. Over the years they have become excellent judges of tourists and modulate their style and language to suit their clientele. There was one such guide who kept a close watch on my movements and tried quite earnestly to get me to book him. A query was met with a ready answer ,as also he would spring from nowhere to play photographer. Luck was however not on his side as I refused to give in—though I have to say, I was impressed with his persistence.

While I surveyed the temple, I was reminded of John Keats’s saying ,“A thing of beauty is a joy forever” – it couldn’t have been more appropriate for a place such as this. Every column and wall looked so real with exquisite carvings, depicting a story that relived the era. The enthusiastic guides spared no opportunity in adding their bit to magnify the events to a greater extent. The foreigners were definitely impressed by their rhetoric skills.

Unlike most South Indian temples, what immediately stands out about the temples of Halebid and Belur, is its stunted structure. Instead of offering a towering majestic view, these temples have to be admired closely as therein lies its beauty. The temples are typical of the Hoysala architecture as they follow a definite form of style. e.g star shaped structure and dancing hall leading to the inner sanctums. As was the norm in those days, temples formed a seat of culture as also for prayer and meditation. It evokes an atmosphere of serenity and quietude enough to make any aetheist devout.


What amazed me most was the precision of these structures. They bore an unmistakable dichotomy in every respect. All columns resembled each other in their form but differed in their ornamentation, a hundred elephant carvings similar in form but unique in their depiction. Each statue emotes so well that it is difficult not to be able to transport oneself to that era.

On my exit from the temple, I was once greeted by a crowd-this time by wayside sellers—post cards, brass knick knacks , balloons, groundnuts… One such peddler caught my attention. He was an elderly person sitting quietly in a corner engrossed in his work.His composed demeanour and the nature of his art did get me curious. I sat down beside him to see him coil lengths of wire in various shapes and forms. On enquiring, he explained in flawless English that he was a puzzle maker and games is what he was making. Having said this he handed me one of his games and had me baffled for the next hour or so in figuring out the solution. His eyes bore the fondness of a grandfather as he saw me struggle relentlessly. He spoke with great pride about how this profession had received world wide attention. He mentioned that there was just one book in the world that taught this art and that there are only 5 people in India who practise it. I was impressed with the depth of his knowledge and his awareness of competition in this field. What a unusual way of making a livelihood –puzzle making! Working through a solution to create a problem!

When I asked to buy some, he very carefully picked out the simple ones and gave them to me. I guess that didn’t speak much for my grey cells!!! While departing, he proudly handed me his visiting card,should I feel the need to recontact him for solutions to the puzzles I had bought. I was impressed by his professionalism and dedication for his work.

I was overwhelmed and inspired by the events of this day. The silent yet evocative monuments at Halebid-Belur and my interaction with the octagenarian peddlar had left an indelible impression on me. After a brush with a historic past, I was ready to look into the future, as I stood on the threshold of a brand new year.