Written by Pathi Venkata Thadhagath | Edited by Chandrashekar Srinivasan
After several attempts by the Karnataka government to inscribe the Hoysala temples on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) list of World Heritage Sites, an expert, Tiong Kian Boom, has visited Hoysaleshwara temple on Wednesday at Halebeedu. He has examined the architecture of Hoysalas and will submit a report to UNESCO.
The Hindu reported that he had discussed the boundaries of the temple and the structures within 100 meters of the temple with senior officers from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). After that, Boom will visit Hoysala temples in Belur and Somanathapura temples in Karnataka.
Among those who accompanied Boom to the temple was Infosys Foundation President Sudha Murty who informed him of the architectural brilliance of the Hoysala temples.
Murty told reporters: “The temples of Hoysala deserve the World Heritage Site tag and I hope they get it this time. Once these temples are listed as UNESCO World Heritage, they will automatically attract tourists from all over the world and this will eventually help the local people here.
According to historians, the Hoysaleeshwara temple was built in the 12th century by a king named Vishnuvardhana of the Hoysala Empire.
In Karnataka, Hampi and Pattadakal already have a label of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. If the Hoysala Temple at Halebeedu gets the tag, it will be Karnataka’s third World Heritage Site.
