Dora Samudra, razed in 1311 and renamed Hale-bidu or 'Dead City' was once the capital of the Hoysala dynasty spanning the eleventh through fourteenth centuries. It survived the sacking of 1141, but the Hoysaleshvara temple's original deity of worship is unknown. The temples of this period feature a star-shaped plan, a main hallway with many carved or lathe-turned pillars, carved ceilings, and a series of steps leading up to the structures which rest on the platform. Surrounding these are individually carved reliefs depicting the gods in their various forms. The lower 'rings' circumnavigate the temple and illustrate scenes from various Hindu epics such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Bhagavad Gita. These are some of the worlds oldest (and heaviest) graphic novels. Down the street lies the 13th century Jain complex featuring the Adi Parshwanatha temple and it's 16th century counterpart, the Vijayantha temple with it's 30' pillar out front. Hidden nearby in the trees awaits the smaller Kedareshvara temple, built between 1217-1221 for Shiva.
Not to be outdone, Belur was the previous Capitol before Halebid, and holds the still functioning Chennakeshvara temple built to celebrate King Vishnuvardhana's victory over Chola forces, independence from the Chalukyas, and his own conversion from Jainism in 1117. Just inside the walls near the impressive gopura (gateway tower) stands the original water tank full of green water, fish, snakes and turtles, and is also still in use. The golden gopura can bee seen looming over the main temple from inside the complex in the second picture.
--- aeryk ---
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