After much anticipation I decided to visit Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka. I was told that Hassan, a land of serenity and beautiful architectural patterns, lies in between Mysore and Bangalore. Therefore I figured out to extract a few hours to explore that small city as well. It was quite early in the morning when I arrived Hassan from Mysore by train. I enjoyed a cup of coffee at the waiting room of the railway station and deposited my luggage to the concerned authorities/attendants.
The city had caught 'Suvarna Karnataka Rajyotshava' festive fever. People from all age groups were enjoying the festival with full vigour and enthusiasm. From the cultural art forms to the food and lifestyle- every aspect of life in Hassan seemed to be highly influenced by the Hoysalas Dynasty that ruled over the city for about three consecutive centuries (from 11th to 13th century). While having my brunch in a restaurant, I met a group of tourists from Spain. They were assisted by a local guide. I asked them if I could be a part of their group for one day, to which they all were agreed. The guide told us that the city is also named 'Dwara Samudra' because of its rich cultural heritage and 'Poor Man's Ooty' because of its distinguished natural beauty.
The guide took us to the famous temple of Hasanamba. It is the most prominent place of the city and opens
once a year for festive celebrations. Apart from that, the guide took us to the Hoysaleshvara Temple complex. The temple is an architectural wonder from every point of view. I was overwhelmed to see the linga sanctuary, huge statues of Gods-Goddesses, spacious columned interiors, fringes of naturalistic and fanciful animals, and animated carvings of scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
In the evening, the group was planning to go for excursion points like the Jain pilgrimage of Shravanabelagola, Chennakeshava Temple in Belur and the temples of Halebid. It was getting dark and I had to rush back to the railway station. Therefore I bid them all good bye. My last halt in Hassan was the MG Road from where I bouwght a fe handicrafts and textile garments. K R Puram and Gandhi Bazaar are other popular market areas for such souvenirs and jewellery. The day was a bit tiring but this unexplored city was the perfect stop for me. Located at a distance of about 194 km from Bangalore, this small city stands above the sea level at the height of 957 meters.
The city had caught 'Suvarna Karnataka Rajyotshava' festive fever. People from all age groups were enjoying the festival with full vigour and enthusiasm. From the cultural art forms to the food and lifestyle- every aspect of life in Hassan seemed to be highly influenced by the Hoysalas Dynasty that ruled over the city for about three consecutive centuries (from 11th to 13th century). While having my brunch in a restaurant, I met a group of tourists from Spain. They were assisted by a local guide. I asked them if I could be a part of their group for one day, to which they all were agreed. The guide told us that the city is also named 'Dwara Samudra' because of its rich cultural heritage and 'Poor Man's Ooty' because of its distinguished natural beauty.
The guide took us to the famous temple of Hasanamba. It is the most prominent place of the city and opens
once a year for festive celebrations. Apart from that, the guide took us to the Hoysaleshvara Temple complex. The temple is an architectural wonder from every point of view. I was overwhelmed to see the linga sanctuary, huge statues of Gods-Goddesses, spacious columned interiors, fringes of naturalistic and fanciful animals, and animated carvings of scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.In the evening, the group was planning to go for excursion points like the Jain pilgrimage of Shravanabelagola, Chennakeshava Temple in Belur and the temples of Halebid. It was getting dark and I had to rush back to the railway station. Therefore I bid them all good bye. My last halt in Hassan was the MG Road from where I bouwght a fe handicrafts and textile garments. K R Puram and Gandhi Bazaar are other popular market areas for such souvenirs and jewellery. The day was a bit tiring but this unexplored city was the perfect stop for me. Located at a distance of about 194 km from Bangalore, this small city stands above the sea level at the height of 957 meters.
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