The Floating Church of Shettihalli
I have traveled a few times to Belur and Halebid in Hassan famous for its UNESCO heritage temples. I was however not aware of the Shettihalli Rosary Church – a 160 year old church until I read upon it.
Shettihalli Rosary Church
The French Missionaries built this church in 1860 for the wealthy British estate owners. I suspect the estate owners stayed in Sakleshpur (35 kms away) popular for its coffee estates.
While driving past the highway this Gothic style church is visible. Basis the bible, Rosary means a catholic prayer that pays attention to events in life of both Jesus and Mary.
The church is presently in a dilapidated condition. It was abandoned once the Gorur dam was built across Hemavathi reservoir. The construction of the dam began in 1960 and was completed by 1979. With the backwaters of the Hemavathi river flooding, the villagers were forced to relocate.
When I saw the church from a distance, the church surely looked like an edifice in Scotland! No wonder, it has begun to feature in quite a few regional movies now.
It is quite a spectacle to see the church during the rainy season. The reason being the rain waters party submerge the church. Tourists can visit this place by taking a coracle. During the summers, one can drive/ride or walk up to the church to get a complete view of the church.
Note: There is no route demarcated to get to the church and you will need to find your way.
How to reach Shettihalli?
The church is located at about 15 kms from Gorur, 25 kms from Hassan and about 200 kms from Bengaluru. It is best covered by driving or biking here. One could cover places of attraction like Belur, Halebid in Hassan.
Best time to visit Shettihalli?
You could visit the church in either of the following seasons:
- Rainy Season i.e. July – October
- Summer Season i.e. December – May
For more spiritual experiences in India, check out the many spiritual tourist destinations in India. And if mystery is your interest, check out the Indian tourist places which are mysterious in nature.
In case you are keen on traveling to southern India, you could take a look at the itinerary of Karnataka and cover the Shettihalli Rosary Church as a part of this itinerary.
India is a many-faceted country other than being spiritual – culture, history, mystery, wildlife, nature… Check out the holiday and tour packages representing the different facets of India travel.
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