Banavasi

Karnataka > Kolar > Banavasi

Banavasi in Uttara Kannada District was the traditional capital of the Kadambas is found mentioned as Vanavasi, Vyjayanthi, Banousi in several inscriptions. It is a very ancient place, as Ashoka is said to have sent his Buddhist missionaries to 'Vanavasa' and a family called Chutus the feudatory line of the Satavahanas was ruling from here. The place is on the bank of the Varada river and its laterite fort is surrounded by the river on its three sides. Recent excavations at Banavasi have brought to light some Buddhist brick monuments. Chutu prince Nagashri built a Buddhist Vihara, a tank and installed a Naga image at the place according to a Prakrit record of the place. The striking monument at Banavasi, the Madhukeshvara temple has been renovated and expanded by Kalyana Chalukyas, Vijayanagara and the Sode rulers. The Kadamba Nagara (stepped pyramidical) shikhara is seen on the garbhagriha of this temple. Around this main temple are shrines of Vithoba, Ardha Ganapathi, Rama etc., and to its left is Parvati Shrine and to the right, Narasimha temple of Vijayanagara times. The temple has an intricately carved monolithic cot with highly artistic designs. Records here indicate that Buddhism and Jainism were popular at this place. Not far away from Banavasi is Gudnapur with a massive tank and a Jain temple now housing Veerabhadra. There must have been a Manmatha temple at the place as indicated by the recently discovered Gudnapur inscription of Kadamba Ravi Varma.