We visited Shravanbelagola, Belur and Halebid in the month of Feb 2009. Visit to all the three places can be completed in a single day provided you leave Mysore early in the morning by 6. It is good to complete all three places by 5 in the evening. We had left Mysore at 6.30 am and were back to Mysore by 6 in the evening after a comfortable leisurely trip.
We started first with Shravanbelagola as to reach the giant Mahaveer, there are about 600 steps to climb and it is easy to do this when climate is most pleasant. Once you get to see glimpse of the huge statue, all your tiredness is simply drained out. Sight of the Gomath cannot be expressed in words but its enormity needs to be seen to be believed. In spite of the crowd and lot of noise, there is strange calmness about the place which makes you feel at peace and in harmony with the surroundings. On one of the adjoining hills, there is another Jain temple and small lake which makes for a beautiful view from the top. It is essential to carry sufficient water and any other essentials when you climb as there is nothing available on top.
Once we climbed down, we had our breakfast in a small hotel just outside the main entrance. Do not expect anything extra ordinary where basic hygiene is also a luxury.
From there, we proceeded to Belur which was about an hour’s journey and then to Halebid which is about half an hour from Belur. Both these places surpassed our expectation. Each carved sculpture has a story attached. They are both architectural marvel. We were amazed to observe the sense of reasoning behind each and every aspect of construction. Few things which even modern day architects would have failed to accomplish. It gives a glimpse into the life led by people of that era.
I would recommend hiring a guide at both Belur and Halebid as it is very difficult to make sense of the sculptures and link various monuments.
Both the places are pretty remote and do not have great facilities. I could not find any decent places for accommodation. Hence, if you are planning to stay back, Hasan is best and closest option. We stopped at a small hotel for lunch in Halebid which was just ok. Do not expect any service or hygiene standards. It is always better to carry some easy eatables which can be munched during the journey and avoid eating out as far as possible. Roads on this route are not bad at all.
If you are an ardent history fan, these three places should definitely be on your near future travel agenda.
They are truly symbol of man’s vision and hard work. It is difficult to judge which is better than the other. Anyways, I guess it is not fair to classify them as each of them has its own charisma.
Overall, an unforgettable brilliant experience.