Chennakesava Temple, Belur

Tourists are recommended to visit Chennakesava Temple, one of the most beautiful shrines in Belur. This temple was built using soft soapstone and is dedicated to Chennakesava, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple belongs to Hoysala period and consists of 48 carved pillars that showcase various designs.

During the battle of Talakkad in 1117, this shrine was erected by Hoysala Vishnuvardhana in order to celebrate his conquest over the Cholas. Tourists can see sculptures of different episodes of Puranas, the Upanishads, elephants and tales of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Apart from these, there are various Madanakai damsels' carvings and a variety of figures in Navaranga. Additionally, there are many other temples located inside the veranda.

This temple comprises several sculptures that exhibit numerous varieties of ornaments, ceilings, animals, birds, doorways and other figures. Tourists can also see a Pushkarni or stepped well at the entrance of the temple. The entrance of the temple showcases Rayagopura that was raised during the Vijayanagar Empire days. Kappe Chennigaraya Temple and a small shrine devoted to Lakshmi are also located at the proximity of the temple.