Belur Chennakeshava Temple: A Morning Among the Madanikas

Dummy post for theme development. It will be replaced by real content in PAY-7.

We reached Belur a little after seven. The gates had just opened, the stone was still cool, and the only other visitors were a family offering flowers at the main shrine.

What to look for

The temple sits on a raised, star-shaped platform. Walk the full circuit slowly; the friezes change every few metres.

• The madanikas – the bracket figures under the eaves, each with a different pose.
• The lathe-turned pillars inside the hall, polished smooth enough to catch the light.
• The unfinished panels on the north side, a reminder that work went on for generations.

Practical notes

Halebidu is 16 km away, so combine the two in a single day. We wrote about it separately in Halebidu, the unfinished twin.