Monday, January 28, 2008

On the Hoysala Trail


" Hoy Sala " ( Strike Sala ! ) said the guru Sudatta Muni to his student , Sala who was in an armed combat with a tiger that had entered a temple. The student struck the animal in one blow, immortalizing himself and his victim . The guru was so pleased that he asked Sala to establish a kingdom and the Hoysala dynasty was established. The folklore became so popular that every temple of the Hoysalas has this story carved in stone and it became the royal emblem

We heard this story narrated to us by our guide in Belur, the erstwhile capital of the Hoysala Dynasty who ruled parts of South India from 11th to 14th century .Historians dismiss the myth, but stories like these have a certain lure about them. Join me in the next few posts as we explore the Hoysala Trail through their magnificent temples.

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