2 weeks in India - Day 4 - 4 days around Bengalore (23/05/2013)

De Hyderabad (A) a Bengalore (B):
Debout a 3h du mat, 1h15 de taxi pour aller a l'aeroport, 1h de vol et me voila a Bengalore ou mon chauffeur pour les 4 prochains jours m'attend.
From Hyderabad (A) to Bengalore (B):
Up at 3am, 1h15 in the cab, 1h on a plane and here I am in Bengalore where my driver for the next 4 days is waiting for me!

De Bengalore (B) a Hassan (C):
From Bengalore (B) to Hassan (C):

Le dieu Ganesha entoure de jasmin

Arret dans un petit village sur la route;
Short stop in a town;

Hanuman

Marche rapide dans un petit marche.
Quick look at a tiny market.

Hum :) Des desserts indiens! - Yummy, I love indian sweets!

Hotel in Hassan (C):
Mon palace...

Dejeuner: yellow dahl (lentilles jaunes) et naan

Yellow dahl and naan for lunch

Channakeshava Temple in Belur (D):
Wikipedia: Le monument principal de Belur est le temple de Chennakesava, dont la construction débuta en 1116, pour s'achever 103 ans plus tard. Elle fut initiée pour célébrer la victoire des Hoysala sur les Chola. Le temple possède par ailleurs un gopuram (sculpture a l'entree du temple) construit au xive siècle et un bassin.
Wikipedia: The temple is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture. It was built by king Vishnuvardhana in commemoration of his victory over the Cholas at Talakad in 1117 CE. Legend has it that it took 103 years to complete and Vishnuvardhana's grandson Veera Ballala II completed the task. The facade of the temple is filled with intricate sculptures and friezes with no portion left blank. The intricate workmanship includes elephants, lions, horses, episodes from the Indian mythological epics, and sensuous dancers (Shilabalikas). Inside the temple are a number of ornate pillars. 

Gopuram

Statue d'une danseuse - Dancer statue in the temple

Ce temple etait un 'brouillon' du temple final; plus petit et sans scupltures

This was a 'draft' of the final temple; smaller and without statues.

Entree principale, les 10 cercles representent les 10 reincarnations de Vishno

Main entrance, circles represent ten re-incarnation of Vishnu

Tout autour du temple, en partant du bas, les elephants, lions, chevaux et fleures, chaque scuplture est unique

All around the temple, elephants, lions, horses, flowers, all unique

Dhwaja Sthamba (pilier), qui tient debout seulement par la gravite

Dhwaja Sthamba (pillar), stays up only by gravity forces

De Belur (D) a Halebid (E):
From Belur(D) to Halebid (E):

Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebid (E):
Wikipedia: Le Hoysaleswara temple est un double temple Hindou dédié à Shiva et à la déesse Pârvatî (sa femme), construit au xiie siècle par le souverain de la dynastie Hoysala Vishnuvardhana. Sa construction, qui a duré près de 80 ans, est achevée sous le règne de Narasimha (1142-1173). Il reste cependant incomplet. Les deux temples sont de plans comparables, en forme de croix, reliés entre eux, chacun étant gardé par un taureau (Nandi, monture de Shiva). Ils sont richement décorés de sculptures de dieux et de déesses.
Wikipedia: Halebidu was the 12th century capital of the Hoysalas. The Hoysaleswara temple was built during this time by Ketamala and attributed to Vishnuvardhana. It enshrines Hoysaleswara and Shantaleswara, named after the temple builder Vishnuvardhana Hoysala and his wife, Queen Shantala. 
The temple complex comprises two Hindu temples, the Hoysaleshawara and Kedareshwara temples and two Jain basadi. In front of these temples there is a big lake. The two Nandi statues which are on the side of the Hoysaleshwara temple are monolithic. Soap stone or Chloritic Schist was used for the construction of these temples. However a number of sculptures in the temple are destroyed by invaders. So the temple is incomplete. The Hoysaleswara temple, dating back to the 1121 C.E., is astounding for its wealth of sculptural details. 

Nandi

Makara, un animal aquatique de la mythologique d'Inde. Il s'agit d'une créature ayant à la fois une petite trompe l'apparentant à l'éléphant de mer, la denture du crocodile et une queue de poisson.

Makara, a sea-creature in Hindu mythology. It is generally depicted as half terrestrial animal (in the frontal part in animal forms of elephant or crocodile or stag, or deer) and in hind part as aquatic animal, in the tail part, as a fish tail or also as seal. Sometimes, even a peacock tail is depicted.

Tout autour du temple, en partant du bas, les elephants, lions, fleures, chevaux et Makaras, chaque scuplture est unique

All around the temple, elephants, lions, flowers, horses, flowers, Makara, all unique

Un lac derriere les arbres - The lake is behind the trees

Reincarnations de Vishnu - Vishnu Reincarnation

Les deux temples lies par un couloir - The 2 temples linked by a 'hallway'

Halebid:
Un temple hindu beaucoup plus recent.

De Halebid (E) a Hassan (C):
From Halebid (E) to Hassan (C):

Soiree:
Retour a l'hotel, diner l'hotel (parce que un peu loin de tout!); Tandori Chicken et Payasa en dessert, super bon!
Evening:
Back to hotel, I had dinner there as the hotel was a bit far away from everything else... (Tandori Chicken,  Payasa, yummmmmm)