In the local dialect, "Apani Dhani" means "Our Hamlet", an affectionate name given to the place by Ramesh C. Jangid, founder of the ecolodge and a pioneer of a form of militant tourism in India, especially in Rajasthan and his own native region of Nawalgarh.  

Get off the beaten track in India with a stay at Apani Dhani Ecolodge

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At 30km from Hassan and around 16km from Halebidu, Belur is a small, isolated village in the heart of the Karnatakan countryside.

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I visited Belur during my world tourand I found it to be a peaceful, calm and serene little place. It's not often you find such tranquility when <a href="/india/">traveling through India</a>. Apart from enjoying the quiet pace of rural life, I also came here to see Belur's Chennakesava Temple. It is simply stunning and its low reliefs are incredibly well preserved. Note that the temple still holds Hindu religious ceremonies. So it's important to be respectful when worshippers are at prayer. Access is free but it's customary to tip the caretaker, who watches over your shoes that you'll need to leave at the entrance. I highly recommend this site; a great break from the noise of the country's big towns. This is an enchanting part of the world.

At 30km from Hassan and around 16km from Halebidu, Belur is a small, isolated village in the heart of the Karnatakan countryside.

Just between you and I, if the Chennakeshava Temple didn't exist, Belur would just be an anonymous little locality encountered when exploring Karnataka. But anyway, the temple was, the temple is and the temple will always be an architectural work that will leave adventurous travelers, eager for something new to discover, in awe. Just so you know the story, this prized building was built to celebrate the Hoysala's defeat of the Chola dynasty in the 12th century and took 103 long years to complete. Its columns are magnificent, the dome superb, the bas-reliefs of the dancers fascinating and the demons intriguing. The statues of the gods seem more lifelike than nature and the facial expressions … human. One thing is certain about Belur: the Hoysala sculptors knew their trade.

The town of Belur lies around thirty kilometers to the north of Hassan and owes its fame to its Hoysala temple.

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