about Belur and halebibu
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Answer:
Belur:
Located in the district of Hassan, Belur lies in the state of Karnataka in India. This ancient town which was known by the name Velapura earlier is situated on the banks of the river Yagachi in Hassan. This was the capital of the Hoysala Empire during the 11th century. The number of monuments and temples built by the Hoysala rulers over a period of 300 years gives enough proof for their love of architecture and art and the best among these lies in Belur.
The magnificent sculptures and architecture bring in thousands of tourists each year. The Chenna Keshava Temple built in the 12th century by the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana is dedicated to Vijayanarayana an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple is covered in fascinating sculptures and carvings done by the Chalukyan artisans and is a popular destination for tourists and pilgrims.
Halebeedu:
Halebeedu was the ancient capital of the Hoysalas just 17 km away from Belur. The Hoysala dynasty ruled over much of South India for close to 200 years and during this time they built spectacular temples; both Hindu as well as Jain. In the 14th century, the armies of Alauddin Khilji and Muhammad Tughlak defeated the Hoysalas and raided their empire. It is recorded that enormous wealth and riches were looted. The city never recovered and fell into neglect. In fact, Halebeedu means “old house/ old ruins“. However, few temples survived this devastation like the ones in Halebeedu and today when you see them, you will be mesmerised by some the most stupendous expressions ever sculpted in stone.