Payaniga

Halebidu: The Unfinished Twin

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

If Belur is about individual figures, Halebidu is about rhythm. The outer wall is wrapped in horizontal bands: elephants at the base, then lions, horsemen, scrolls, and finally scenes from the epics.

Reading the walls

Start at the eastern entrance and walk clockwise. Count the elephants if you have the patience; we gave up somewhere past two hundred.

Getting there

Halebidu is about 16 km from Belur and 30 km from Hassan. The road is good, and there are small eateries near the temple car park.

Belur Chennakeshava Temple: A Morning Among the Madanikas

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

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


Timings	7:30 am – 7:30 pm
Entry	Free; footwear counter outside
Guide	Official guides at the gate, about ₹300

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

Somanathapura: Small Temple, Big Detail

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Somanathapura is the easiest Hoysala temple to reach from Bengaluru, and the best preserved. Three shrines share a single hall, each topped by its own tower.

Why it’s worth the detour

The towers are intact, which is rare.
The courtyard is enclosed, so it’s quiet even on weekends.
You can see the whole complex in an hour and still be in Mysuru for lunch.

A Coffee Estate Homestay in Coorg

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

We picked this homestay for the estate walk and stayed for the food. Our hosts grow coffee, pepper and cardamom, and every meal came from within a few kilometres.

The stay

Two rooms in the main house, one cottage by the stream
Breakfast and dinner included
Estate walk every morning at 7

Nearby

Abbey Falls is 20 minutes away and at its loudest in July. Raja’s Seat in Madikeri is worth it for sunset if the clouds lift.

Hampi in Two Days: A Slow Itinerary

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Hampi rewards people who walk. Hire a bicycle or an auto for the long stretches, but leave room to wander.

Day 1: the sacred centre

Virupaksha temple at opening time
Walk the Hampi bazaar to the Achyutaraya temple
Sunset from Hemakuta hill

Day 2: the royal centre

Lotus Mahal and the elephant stables
Vittala temple and the stone chariot (go early, it gets hot)
Coracle ride near Kampli road, if the river is calm

Where to stay

We stayed on the Hampi side of the river; the Virupapura Gadde side was quieter but needs a ferry that stops after dark.

Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal in One Weekend

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT

The Chalukyan triangle is a long drive from Bengaluru, but the three sites are close to each other, so one base in Badami works well.

Badami

Four cave temples cut into red sandstone, overlooking the Agastya lake. Climb past cave four for the view.

Aihole

Often called the cradle of temple architecture: more than a hundred temples in and around the village, in several styles.

Pattadakal

A compact UNESCO World Heritage Site where northern and southern styles stand side by side.

Five Pure Vegetarian Homestays in Chikkamagaluru

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Finding a fully vegetarian kitchen in coffee country takes some asking. These five are places we’ve stayed ourselves.

Hillside Estate Stay – four rooms, home-style Malnad food.
Riverbend Cottages – quiet, by a stream, great for families.
Coffee Trail Homestay – the hosts run a short plantation tour.
Misty Ridge – best views, steep last kilometre.
Old Bungalow Retreat – a restored planter’s bungalow.

Sunrise at Mullayanagiri

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

The road goes most of the way up, so the “trek” is a short climb of steps to the summit temple. Start before 5:30 am to catch the sunrise.

Tips

Carry a windcheater, it’s cold at the top even in summer.
Weekdays are far less crowded.
Combine with Baba Budangiri on the way down.

Bengaluru to Mysuru: Stops Worth Making

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMT

The expressway gets you to Mysuru in under two hours. If you have time, take the service road for a few stops.

Our stops

Channapatna for wooden toys
Maddur for vadas, obviously
Srirangapatna for the Ranganathaswamy temple and Daria Daulat Bagh
Mysuru Palace on a Sunday evening when it’s lit up

Talakadu: Temples Under the Sand

Sat, 04 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Talakadu is about 45 km from Mysuru, on a bend of the Kaveri. Centuries of sand have buried most of the old town, and archaeologists have been uncovering temples ever since.

The Vaidyeshwara temple, the best-preserved structure at Talakadu

A gallery from the dunes

Dunes, river and stone, all within a few hundred metres

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqz-KE-bpKQ

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Panchalinga Darshana, held once every twelve years or so, brings huge crowds. Check dates before you go.