Kan: ಬೇಲೂರು bēlūru

‘Radiant Town’ [Velur, Velapuri, Beluhur] Town, Karnataka (Kar)

From Kan: beḷ/veḷ, ‘bright’, shining’; and ūr/ūru, ‘town’, ‘village’.

Belur is famous for its 12thC Chennakesava temple [from Kan: canna/cenna, ‘handsome’, ‘elegant’; and Skt: keśava, ‘(name of) Vishnu’], an excellent example of ornate Hoysala sculpture.

It is suggested that the ‘beryl’ gem [Lat: beryllus, Gk: bēryllos] comes from the same root word as the town: the region has been famous for its emerald deposits since ancient times.

For related place names see Indian Place names and Karnataka place names.

 

Narasimha, Chennakeshava Temple (Belur)

Narasimha, Chennakeshava Temple (Belur)          Jean-Pierre Dalbéra