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Belur Channakeshava Temple

Belur, Hassan, Karnataka
Lord Ranganatha
More in Karnataka

Type

Hindu Temple

Deity

Lord Ranganatha

Pincode

573115

A masterpiece of Hoysala architecture (12th century CE) — the Channakeshava Temple at Belur took 103 years to build and features some of the most intricate stone carvings in India. A UNESCO World Heritage Site (2023). The sculpture detail rivals that of Khajuraho.

History & Significance

Significance

Built in 1117 CE by the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana to commemorate his military victory and, traditionally, his conversion from Jainism to Vaishnavism, the Channakeshava Temple took over a century to complete. Its soapstone walls are covered in intricately carved friezes and bracket figures, considered among the finest examples of Hoysala craftsmanship anywhere.

Plan Your Circuit

Nearby Temples

Closest temples by distance — worth combining into the same trip.

Shiva

The largest Hoysala temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva as Hoysaleshwara and Shanthhaleshwara. The entire outer wall is covered with an extraordinary 240-metre frieze of animals, mythological scenes, and intricate carvings. A UNESCO World Heritage Site (2023) just 16 km from Belur.

Hoysaleshwara Temple Halebid

Halebid, Karnataka15 km
Lord Shiva

Lakshmi

A 12th-century CE Hoysala masterpiece — considered one of the finest examples of Hoysala art after Belur and Halebid. Built by Buci, a minister of King Vishnuvardhana. Four shrines face the cardinal directions; the Channakeshava and Lakshmi Narayana shrines have exceptionally fine sculptures. A hidden gem of Karnataka heritage.

Doddagaddavalli Lakshmi Devi Temple

Doddagaddavalli, Karnataka31 km
Goddess Lakshmi

Dattatreya

A sacred hilltop in the Baba Budan range of the Western Ghats, revered by both Hindus (as a Dattatreya shrine) and Muslims (as the resting place of Sufi saint Baba Budan who brought coffee seeds to India). The site represents remarkable religious harmony — both communities worship here side by side. Famous for stunning Ghats scenery and coffee estate views.

Bababudangiri Dattatreya Peetha

Bababudangiri, Karnataka41 km
Lord Dattatreya
Kukke Subramanya Temple

A temple dedicated to Lord Subramanya (Karthikeya) at the foothills of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, renowned for its serpent-worship rituals believed to ease ancestral and astrological doshas. Legend holds that Subramanya took refuge here after receiving amrita from Vasuki, the serpent king, making it one of India's most significant Naga pilgrimage sites.

Photo: Soorajna / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kukke Subramanya Temple

Subramanya, Karnataka42 km
Lord Subramanya