Saundatti
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Savadatti | |
  Savadatti
|
|
| State - District(s) |
Karnataka - Belgaum district |
| Coordinates | |
| Area - Elevation |
16 km² - 610 m |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Population (2001) - Density |
38155 - 2384.69/km² |
| Codes - Postal - Telephone - Vehicle |
- 591 126 - +08330 - KA-27 |
Saundatti (also known as Sugandavarti and Savadatti) is one of the oldest towns in Belgaum district in the south Indian state of Karnataka. It is a celebrated pilgrimage centre located 78 kilometres from Belgaum.
[edit] Temples
The town has temples dedicated to Ankeshwara, Puradeshwara, Nagarkere Mallikarjuna, Veerabhadra, Ulvi Basavaeshwara, Mouneshwara, Dyamavva and Venkateshwara, which is the largest. The Puradeshwara temple in the later Chalukyan style is a trikutachala with three ardhamantapas, a common navaranga and two mukhamantapas.
All three garbhagrihas with pierced windows have shivalingas. The shikhara, now damaged, over the central garbhagriha is in Kadambanagara style and the navaranga pillars are lathe-turned. Inside the niches of the navaranga are images of Parvati and Veerabhadra. This temple has been renovated very crudely. On the day of Ugadi, the rising sun's rays fall directly on the main shivalinga. The outer walls have fine sculptures depicting Hindu mythology and there are inclined chajjas all round. The open mukhamantapa, a later addition, is also in the same style with massive pillars.
The Ankeshwara temple in Desaigalli, built circa 970 is in the later Chalukyan style and is below the ground level. There are steps descending to the mukhamantapa. In front of the temple, there is an inscription carved into the wall by the builder, Ratta Chief Ankarasa. The fort has a Kadasiddheshwara temple, surrounded by four bastions. Around the Kadasiddheshwara temple in the inner chajja of the prakara there is a row of beautiful carvings of geometrical patterns with over two hundred designs, some painted. The Renukasagar of the Naviluteerha Dam touches the low-lying areas of Saundatti. There is a spot called Jogulabhavi here, where there is a temple. Pilgrims take a holy dip here before visiting the Yellamma Hill. This Samadhi is in the area called Ramapur at Saundatti, which is humming with religious activities.
