Balligavi a town inShikaripura talukShivamogga district ofKarnataka state,India, is today known as Belagami or Balagame. Its ancient names are Baligrama, Dakshina Kendra, Valliggame and Valligrame. A place of antiquity, it is known for its ancient monuments. Balligavi was an AncientJain Hub of South Before the 12th century inscriptional records mention the presence of more than twenty basadis during this period.[1] Balligavi is located 72 km from Shivamogga city and 21 km from Shikaripura town and 2.3 km from Shiralakoppa in Shikaripura taluk.Balli inKannada means creeper or vine.
Archaeologically, Balligavi dated from theSatavahana-Kadamba era and theChaturmukhalinga (four facedlinga) here is in that style. The area came under theBanavasi province of the Kadamba Dynasty in 4-5th century AD. Important Kadamba inscriptions like theTalagunda inscriptions, near Balligavi have been collected by the Archaeological Survey of India.[2]
Hoysala architecture, BalligaviInscription of Balligavi
The golden age of Balligavi was during the rule of theWestern Chalukya Empire during the 10th-12th centuries.[3] The earliest inscription mentioning the name Balligavi is a 685 CEBadamiChalukya inscription.[3] Balligavi during these times had sixmathas, threepuras "extensions", fivevidyapithas "places of learning", and sevenBrahmapuris. The mathas belonged toJains,Shaivas,Vaishnavas, andBuddhists. The Kedareshwara matha belonging to theKalamukha Shaivas and the Kodiya matha was well known and had the patronage of theHoysala emperors, marking the place as one of religious activity. Records also indicate that an ancient University existed here.[4] The town also had 54 temples and supported 60,000 residents during that time.[3] Several inscriptions reveal that it was very prominent and stronghold capital of the Vira Bananju warrior merchant community, i.e. modern day Banajigara or Banajiga or Balija community.[citation needed]
Today, Balligavi is a quiet town much of whose daily routines revolve around agriculture and the famous 11th century Kedaresvara Temple andTripurantakesvara Temple.
Legend has it that Balligavi was the capital of anAsura king (demon) and hence was calledBalipura (city ofBali). ThePandavas came here while on theirVanavasa (forest sojourn) and installed thePanchalinga (fivelingas); hence the name Panchalingeswara to the well known temple here.Linga is the universal symbol ofShiva.
Balligavi is also the birthplace of the Famous Hoysala QueenShantala Devi andVirashaiva saintAllama Prabhu[5] and is closely associated withVachana poetAkka Mahadevi who was born in nearby Udugani (also known as Udutadi).[6] She was a contemporary of Allama Prabhu andBasavanna, the founder of theVirashaiva movement.[4] Many famous Hoysala sculptors like Dasoja, Malloja, Nadoja, Siddoja hailed from here.
This is an excellent example of atrikuta "triple towers" temple in a transitional Western Chalukya-Hoysala architecture.[7] It is the oldest example of such a combinational style in Karnataka according to reports from the Mysore archaeological department. The temple faces east and has a stepped entrance on three sides. The entrance on the sides is a Western Chalukya idiom.[8] The central shrine has alinga (universal symbol of Shiva) made from black marble (Krishnashila). The shrine to the south has alinga calledBrahma and the shrine to the north has a statue ofJanardhana (Vishnu). The temple's outside plan is in "staggered-square" style with many projections and recesses which is a Hoysala design.[9] The outer walls of the openmandapa (hall) have carvings of women wearing fine jewellery. Two Hoysala emblems were added in 1060 CE byVinayaditya.[10] The superstructure (tower) of thevimana are very well decorated with sculptures ofTandaveshwara,Varaha,Uma Narasimha,Bhairava etc. (avatars of Shiva and Vishnu) and thesukanasi of all three towers still exist.[11] The western shrine is the oldest dating from the 7th or 8th century. Attached to the vestibule that connects the shrines is a well designed openmantapa with two rows of pillars. The outer row of pillars are 16 faced while the inner row of pillars are lathe turned with bell shaped mouldings, a style popular with both Western Chalukys and Hoysalas.[12] The ceiling of themantapa is flat and the inner ceiling is well carved with lotuses in them. The central ceiling has the carving ofTandaveshwara (dancing Shiva) with eightdikpalakas (guards). The entrance to the shrine which faces east has aNandi, the bull and a celestial attendant of Shiva.
Vimana withKirtimukha (demon face), Kedaresvara temple, BalligaviTemples of Balligavi
The 'Tripurantaka Temple (also called Tripurantakesvara or Tripurantakeshwara) was built around c. 1070 CE[13] by theWestern Chalukyas. This temple, which is in a dilapidated state, is in the historically important town of Balligavi (also called Balagamve), modernShivamogga district,Karnatakastate,India. The exterior walls of the temple have erotic sculptures onfriezes. These depictions are considered rare inChalukyan art. Being miniature in size, these are visible only upon close examination.[14] During medieval times, Balligavi was a seat of learning to multiple religious faiths and was home to many monuments and structures built by the Chalukyas.[15] More than 80 medievalinscriptions have been discovered in Balligavi and belong to theJain,Shaiva,Vaishnava andBuddhist traditions. These inscriptions describe, among other things, the building of temples.[16]
^Nagarajaiah, Hampa (2003).A History of the Early Jainism in Karnataka. Bangalore: Jaina Cultural Research Foundation. pp. 145–147.
^The Talagunda inscription gives the most plausible explanation to the birth of the Kadamba kingdom and the reasons surrounding the coronation ofMayurasharma as the founder of the kingdom, Dr. S.U. Kamath,Concise history of Karnataka pp 30
^abcRaghavendra Chandragutti."A glimpse of the lost grandeur".Spectrum, Deccan Herald, Tuesday, January 25, 2005. Deccan Herald. Retrieved27 November 2006.
^Thesukanasi is the tower on top of vestibule connecting hall and shrine and this is where the hoysala emblem is located, Gerard Foekema,A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples pp 22
^This is a common feature of Western Chalukya-Hoysala temples,A Concise History of Karnataka, pp 117, Dr. S.U. Kamath
^Kamat J."Temples of Karnataka".Timeless Theater - Karnataka. Kamat's Potpourri. Retrieved14 May 2008.
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