2 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
3hrs by bus from Mysore and 4hrs from Bangalore
When to go
From November to May
Minimum stay
1 to 2 days
Hassan (India)
©
David Debrincat
Practical information on Hassan
Reviews of Hassan
At 120km from Mysore and 160km from Bangalore, Hassan is a charmless town and only useful as a base from which to visit Belur and Halebidu.
My suggestion:
If you don't have much time, the best thing to do is just use this place as crash pad. If you aren't in a hurry and would like to fully explore the Indian countryside, you'd be better off going straight to Belur and Halebidu.
My review
On my trip to India I spent 2 months touring the entire country and I only came to Hassan so as to access the temples at Belur and Halebidu.
Hassan is a practical stopover if you want to see these temples, but otherwise it's really ugly! It's just one big intersection that has cheap places to stay. So if you are planning to stay in the region for a while, then I suggest you stay at Belur or Halebidu. Further along from these sites is Shravanabelagola, another nice and calm place.
In brief, like other travelers who arrive here, I followed the standard pattern - I arrived, I toured for a day, I slept over and I left. There is simply nothing to do in Hassan itself.
©
David Debrincat
Hassan is an ideal base camp to visit Halebidu, Belur and Shravanabelgola.
My suggestion:
For long-term travellers, choose a good mattress and plan two nights in an historic place to take advantage of the cultural riches of this district.
My review
As you will notice during your stay in India, there are cities whose only assets are their geographical locations. Hassan is one of them. Its advantage: being the epicentre of the stunning cultural triptych of Halebidu, Belur, Shravanabelgola. And I'll talk about it in a moment.
Only 50 km from Hassan, in a Jain temple built on a hill at Shravanabelgola, stands a gigantic statue in honour of Gomateshwara, a saint also known as Bahubali. From its height of 17 metres and its thousand years of existence, the stony faced giant surveys Karnataka in clothing reduced to a minimum, provided that the liana which surrounds its limbs is considered clothing. The site is magical and the view is fantastic! (good luck with the 600 steps!)
©
Sébastien Cuzol
344 travelers' photos
