Halebidu

Halebidu or Halebid is another weekend gem from Bengaluru which has magnificently carved temples in the form of Hoysalesvara and Shantalesvara. The temples at Halebidu have beautifully engraved walls. The temple complex depicts stories from Mahabharata, Ramayana and Puranas. Halebidu literally means the old city, while bidu also stands for a layout or a place of human habitat. In the ancient times, Halebidu was known as Dwarasamudra, which means the gateway to the seas in Hassan district. Halebidu which is 27 km away from Hassan flourished as the capital of Hoysala kingdom for 150 years. It was taken over by the army of Malik Kafur in the early 14th century, only to be left in ruins.