Whazzaaaaaaaaa Loveliesss š« PS: Ignore the over excitement in my tone. The weather is sooo goood right now, I canāt help but just be happy like a fool today! Itās cold but not freezing, thereās a slight drizzle with butterflies adding colours to the garden. Itās so so cozy and pleasantš¤ This weather reminds me of a vacation that I went for last year around this time with my family. So, why not make a hive post on it, I thought!
Before my distracted ass switches to making this post about todayās weather š let me introduce the travel location of the post - BELUR HALEBEEDUā„ļø If youāve been a history student in India, Iām dead sure this place wouldāve haunted you during your exams š I still remember trying my best to memorise names of these kings and the chronology of battles fought to defend the kingdom. Letās not relive that trauma and stick to talking about the trip, okay? š„¹
Belur-Halebeedu are two towns in Hassan District in Karnataka. They are known for their architectural contribution in terms of ancient ruins and temples. They exhibit the very unique culture and architecture of Hoysala Kingdom. In fact, Halebeedu / Halebidu was the capital of the Hoysalas and was also known as Hoysaleshwara, if Iām not wrong.
Do they do justice to the hype? - Hell yeah!!! The temples here are absolutely stunning š¤ From the intricate designs on the exterior walls to the uniqueness in the structure (Unlike conventional temples, the temples here are on star āļø shaped foundations or platforms)
The temple was mostly made of stone with stone idols inside. The only source of light inside was natural light entering from small points on the structure giving it a very aesthetic rustic look.
The monuments were ransacked by the Delhi Sultanate rulers (according to texts - Alauddin Khilji mostly) when they captured / defeated the Hoysala Dynasty. If you happen to visit the place and are curious about its history, then Iād suggest you take a guide with you.These guides are well versed with local history and may give you insights that you wouldnāt find on Google.
However, this was supposed to be a family trip š My entire maternal fam (about 20 average looking humans and 1 very handsome doggo in 5 cars) stayed at this beautiful home stay called āWater View Holiday Retreatā. This homestay had very clean and cute rooms, ideal for group stays. Along with a swimming pool and its own lake, we also had few adventure activities like a rope bridge and net climbing among others.
The weather was amazing, food was yummy and vibe was great - a perfect getaway, aye? Being the annoyingly loud and party loving family that we are, this trip was super fun š We danced by the bonfire for hours (To a point that my uncle broke his leg - quite literally š) . We froze in the swimming pool but still kept jumping inside again and again only to fall sick the next day. The only sane individual was my lil baby - Brandy, who Iām sure, kept judging his hoomans ā„ļø
If youāre someone who loves ancient history and architecture - then Belur Halebeedu is definitely a must visit in Karnataka, India. Even if you arenāt a fan and still happen to be here - then āWater View Holiday Retreatā is perffff for a huge group š«š¤
With everybody residing in different corners of the country and barely getting a chance of meeting each other due to hectic schedules and workload, this trip was a miracle! My family makes it a point to have a get together atleast once a year but the pandemic put that on halt for quite some time now. The fact that Halebeedu just happened was quite surprising because everything just fell into place effortlessly and maybe thatās why this place will always have a special place in my heart. By the end of this two day trip, we went back with truck loads of good memories (and my uncleās broken leg of course š) Also, this was Brandyās very first outing since we adopted him š¶ā„ļø Canāt wait for the next annual family get together š Leaving a few pictures here from the trip šø Until another story, cheers!š„