Hoysaleswara Temple Karnataka

Construction of the Hoysaleswara Temple, Halebid’s claim to fame, began around 1121 and went on for more than 80 years. It was never completed but nonetheless stands today as a masterpiece of Hoysala architecture. The interior of its inner sanctum, chiselled out of black stone, is marvellous. On the outside, the temple’s richly sculpted walls are covered with a flurry of Hindu deities, sages, stylised animals, and friezes depicting the life of the Hoysala rulers. A huge statue of Nandi (Shiva’s bull) sits to the left of the main temple, facing the inner sanctum. The temple is set within large, well-tended gardens.