The Hoysala empire was a prominent Kannadiga empire that ruled most of what is now Karnataka, India between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur but was later moved to Halebidu. Halebidu was called  Dwara Samudra, hosts the famous Hoysaleswara Temple. And Belur is renowned for its Chennakeshava temple.

The legend of Hoysala starts with a young man, Sala, who saved his Jain guru, Sudatta by striking dead a tiger he encountered near the temple of the goddess Vasantika at Angadi, now called Sosevuru. The word “strike” literally translates to “hoy” in Old Kannada, hence the name “Hoy-sala”. We can see this iconography in many places in the Hoysala temples and its also the emblem of the Hoysala empire.

Continue reading about the Hoysala Empire and my Journey through the prominent Hoysala Temples on my blog below .

http://thelazytravel.com/journey-through-hoysala-empire-1/