| Arasikere | |
| — town — | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country | India |
| State | Karnataka |
| District(s) | Hassan District |
| Population | around 2 to 3Laks |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Area |
• 806 metres (2,644 ft) |
Arsikere (Kannada ಅರಸೀಕೆರೆ, Arasīkere) is a town in the Hassan district in the state of Karnataka, India. Arasikere is a major railway junction on the South Western Railway. It is a central place for tourists visiting Belur (40 km), Halebidu (25 km), Mavuthanahalli (20 km), and Shravanabelagola (80 km).
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It was an important town during Hoysala rule and the name Arsikere comes from one of the princesses of the Hoysala dynasty, who built a big pond (kere in Kannada). Arasi means queen in Kannada. Therefore, it is 'Arasiya+kere' which means 'queen's-pond'. ARSIKERE (Hassan dt; tq.hq)
The place is situated at a distance of about 41 km from Hassan and 176 km from Bangalore on the Bangalore-Miraj railway line and on Bangalore-Honavar road. It was also called in the remote past as Udbhava Sarvajna Vijaya and Ballalapura. Under the rule of the Wodeyars of Mysore, this place suffered greatly from the raids of the Marathas and was subsequently made over to the Marathas by the Wodeyars as security for the payment of tribute. Under the rulers of Vijayanagara it was under the administrative control of Jagadevaraya of Channaptna and later under Thimmappa Nayaka of Tarikere and was finally under the rule of Shivappa Nayaka of Ikkeri. It was acquired from Ikkeri rulers by the Mysore Wodeyars in 1690. The Kalameshwara temple here also known as Kattameshvara and Chandramoulishvara by the devotees is a monument of Hoysala style of architecture facing east and is attributed to 1220 A.D. It consists of a garbhagriha, an open shukanasi, an open navaranga, a small rectangular inner porch and a circular mukhamantapa. The haluvakalu devasthana has a garbhagriha, an open shukanasa with common hall in the front. The Sahasrakuta Jinalaya here a Hoysala building of 1220 A.D. and was constructed by Vasudhaika bandhava Recharasa, a minister of Ballala II.
Sainatha and Ganapathi temples are of modern design and construction. A state branch of the Kastue Ba Gandhi National Memorial Trust is located at Kastur Ba Gram very near here.
At a distance of about three km from Arsikere town, there is Malekal Tirupathi which has a temple of Venkataramana and of Govindaraja frequently visited by the pilgrims.
Nagapuri fortress built on the Hirekal hill is eleven km north of Arsikere town and it is said to have been constructed by Haider Ali. From the top of the fortress one can have the grand view of the landscape around , consisting of hills, forests, streams and ravines. Haranahally is a big village about eight km south of Arsikere town, there are remains of an old fort which is said to have been erected in 1070A.D.by a chief named Someshvara Raya and the large Nagarti tank here was named after his daughter. The temples of Chennakeshava and Someshvara which were built here in the 13th century A.D. are good specimens of Hoysala architecture.
Javagal, the hobli is situated at a distance of about 33 km from Arsikere and about 35 km from Hassan. It has a temple dedicated to Lakshminarasimha which is a good specimen of Hoysala architecture with an outer entrance. This temple is attributed to the middle of 13th century A.D. Gangadhareshvara and Veerabhadra temples of this place show good workmanship. There is a Bhanashankari temple and Chandranatha basadi here. (Source: Karnataka State Gazetteer 1983.)
Arsikere is located at .[1] It has an average elevation of 807 metres (2647 feet).
Arsikere belongs to Mysore division. It is a major railway junction between Bangalore and Hubli. Trains take diversion here to go to Hassan, Bangalore, Hubli, Mangalore. Arsikere is also well known for the naturally built Elephant stone situated at heart of the town in Shri Subhramnya Ane Bhetta. One well known personality. Famous actor Sri Doddanna is from Arsikere town. Arsikere is famous for coconut plantations. There is a big agricultural coconut market in town. Also, a newly opened sports and children welfare academy [1](Revive to Regain Health) is present in Mysore road (near railway gate).
2.Karnataka State Gazetteer 1983.