Banashankari Temple, Karnataka, India

Banashankari Temple, Karnataka

Banashankari Temple

The Banashankari Temple is located in Amargol town in Dharwad district, Karnataka. Banashankari is a form of the Goddess Parvati. This form of the Goddess is very popular in Karnataka. There are many famous temples dedicated to Devi Banashankari in Karnataka. The most famous one is probably the Banashankari Amma Temple in Cholachagudd. There is also a temple to this Goddess in the city of Bangalore. This temple is so popular that the area itself is called Banashankari.

The reason why Parvati took up this form is explained In the Skanda Purana. When people on earth were being tormented by an Asura named Durgamasura, the Devas prayed to Goddess Parvati to relieve them of this menace. So, the Goddess came down to earth and killed the Asura. She was known as Vana Shankari, the Goddess of the forest. This later became Banashankari.
The Banashankari Temple in Amargol is a fine architectural marvel and is located near the Unkal Lake and the Chandramouleshwara Temple. The temples built in this area in the 13th century exhibit northern influence. They have the Nagara style incorporated into them. This temple is no exception.

Architecture - Banashankari Temple

Banashankari Temple

Banashankari Temple

The Banashankari temple in Amargol is a Dvikuta -a two shrine/two tower temple. Like most temples in this region of this period, this temple also exhibits Nagara influence. This temple has two shrines topped with Vimanas, one in the stepped-diamond shaped Nagara style and the other in the Dravida style.
One shrine houses the main deity, Devi Banashankari, and the other houses a Shiva Linga. The main Banashankari shrine is built in the Nagara Style. This shrine has been fully renovated. The restoration work on the other shrine is ongoing.
The Navaranga Mandapa in this temple has beautiful pillars decorated with figures of Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu, Narasimha, Ganapathi, Brahma and other Gods.
The Banashankari Temple, Amargol, Dharwad is a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
 



Location

Hubli - 110
Hospet - 126
Bangalore - 436


Nearby Places:

Badami
Pattadakal
Aihole
Hampi

How to reach to Banashankari Temple

Road :
Gadag is well connected by road from all District headquarters of Karnataka. Upon reaching Gadag, one can take local transport or KSRTC Rural service to reach Lakkundi

Rail :
Badami is the nearest railway station

Airport :
The nearest Airport is at Hubli. International Airport is at Bangalore

Where to stay:

Vijayshree Heritage Village
VR Bhurat Nagari, Hospet-Hampi Road, Malpangudi, Hospet 583 239
Tel: : 08394-225 890-93
Fax: 08394-225 894
Email: md@vijayshreeresort.com
Website: www.vijayshreeheritagevillage.com

Krishna Palace
Railway Station Road, Near Bus Stand, Hospet, Bellary 583 201
Fax: 08394-294 231
Email: contact@krishnapalacehospet.com
Website: www.krishnapalacehospet.com

Royal Orchid Central, Kireeti
Railway Station Road, Hospet 583 201
Email: rooms@royalorchidhotels.com
Website: www.royalorchidhotels.com

Veera Narayana Temple Belavadi, Karnataka, India

Veera Narayana Temple Belavadi, Karnataka, India

Belavadi - Veera Narayana Temple

This is a beautiful Hoysala style temple located 28 km south of Chikmagalur town in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. Belavadi, also known as Ekachakranagara, is very near to the famous temple towns of Belur and Halebid. This temple was built in the 13th century by Veera Ballala II. While Belur and Halebid are famous for their intricate sculpture, this temple is one of the best examples of Hoysala architecture.

Architecture : Veera Narayana Temple

Veera Narayana temple Belavadi - Karnataka

Built in the Trikuta style –with three vimanas – this temple is huge and spacious. The entrance of the temple is at the center, with slanting roofs. The few steps leading up to inside of the temple are flanked by an elephant on either side.
The older shrine is in the center, while the two other shrines face each other across a long Mandapa. The older shrine has one closed Mandapa and one open Mandapa, one with 13 bays and one with nine bays. The vimana of this shrine is beautifully decorated. The outer walls of the temple have running pilasters with decorative towers on top. These pilasters are beautifully carved.
The two newer shrines are connected by an open Mandapa with 37 bays. These two shrines have different plans. One is square while the other is star shaped. The vimanas, the Sukanasi and the walls are covered in bold sculptures. The figures that stand out are the ones of Krishna dancing on Kaliya, and of Garuda. The central shrine has an idol of Veera Narayana, with four arms, standing on a lotus. This figure is eight foot tall. This is the central shrine, and the oldest.
The northern shrine has a seven foot tall idol of Yoganarasimha in a sitting posture, holding the Shanka and Chakra, with Sridevi and Bhoodevi standing on either side. The Prabhavati is carved with the ten avatars of Vishnu.
The southern shrine has an enchanting eight foot image of Venugopala Krishna. Krishna, standing with his right leg in front of his left leg, leaning against a tree, is blissfully playing his flute. He is surrounded by various figures – Shravan Kumaras with folded hands, Gopikas, who are so lost in the music that one has forgotten to cover herself properly, a cow feeding her calf, lost in the music, Gopalas who are dancing to the Venu Gana. On either side of Venu Gopala stand Rukmini and Satyabhama.

How to Get to Veer Narayana Temple

Road :
Belavadi is about 10 kms from Halebeedu. It is enroute between Halebeedu and Javagal.
One can also reach Belavadi via Bangalore - Arsikere Road on NH 206 and then take diversion onto State Highway upto Javagal.

Rail :
Alight at Arsikere Junction or Birur Junction if your are travelling in Fast Express Trains and then take road to Belavadi.
If you are travelling by Express or Passenger trains alight at Banavara and then head by road.

Once the Kadur-Chikmagalur Railway Line is completed, alighting at Chikmagalur station would be more nearest point.

Airport :
The nearest Airport is at Devanahalli and then either head by road or rail.
A new domestic airport is being constructed at Shimoga/Hassan, which would act as nearest airports.

Where to stay:

The Serai
Mugthihalli Post, KM Road, Chikmagalur 577 133
Tel: 08262-224 903-14
Fax: 08262-224 915
Email: enquiries@theserai.in
Website: www.theserai.in


Flameback Lodges
Billur Post, Pattadur Village, Mudigere Taluk, Chikamagalur 577 132
Email: : info@flameback.in
Website: : www.flameback.in


The Gateway Hotel (Taj Group)
KM Road, Jyothinagar, Chikmagalur 571 102
Tel: 08262-220 202
Fax: 08262-220 222
Email: tgrgm.chk@tajhotels.com
Website: www.tajhotels.com


Silent Valley Corporate Resorts
Thodlu, Kalasa, Kudremukh Road, Chikmagalur 577 124
Email: silentvalley@vsnl.com
Website: www.silentvalley.net

 

Address:

Veera Narayana Temple
District: Chikmagalur
Town: Belavadi
State:Karnataka

Dudhsagar India's 5th tallest waterfall | Dudhsagar Waterfall

Dudhsagar Waterfall

Dudhsagar India's 5th tallest waterfall 

About Dudhsagar Waterfall :

The magnificent Dudhsagar Waterfall is perched in the high peaks of the Western Ghats and is a sight to behold especially in the monsoons when it is in full and furious flow. From a distance, the waterfall appears like streams of milk rushing down the mountainside. The exhuberent and spectacular waterfall is located in the Sanguem taluka.During the monsoon season however, the falls are transformed into one of the most powerful falls in India.
Dudhsagar Falls is listed as India's 5th tallest waterfall,and is 227th in the world at 310 M. The water plummets hundreds of feet in large volumes during the monsoon season, formingone of the most spectacular natural phenomena in Goa. 

Dudhsagar Waterfall

Measuring a mighty 600m from head to foot, this waterfall on the Goa-Karnataka border, attracts a steady stream of visitors from the coast into the rugged Western Ghats. After pouring across the Deccan plateau, the headwaters of the Mandovi River form a foaming torrent that splits into three streams to cascade down a near-vertical cliff face into a deep green pool.

The Konkani name for the falls, which literally translated means "sea of milk", derives from clouds of milky foam which rises up at the bottom of the falls. Dudhsagar is set amidst breathtaking scenery overlooking a steep, crescent-shaped head of a valley carpeted with pristine tropical forest, that is only accessible on foot or by train.

Like most places in Goa, the Dudhsagar waterfall too has a legend attached to its name. The legend tells the story of this powerful and wealthy king who ruled a kingdom in the Western Ghats. His lavish and opulent palace in the hills was surrounded by vast gardens which were full of deers and gazelles.

The King had a beautiful daughter, who used to enjoy taking a bath during the hot summers, in the picturesque lake near the forest on the edge of the King's palace grounds. It was her habit to finish her bath and have a jugful of sugared milk in a jug made of pure gold.

One day when she was finishing her usual jug of milk she found herself being watched by a handsome prince standing amongst the trees. Embarassed by her inadequate bathing attire, the resourceful Princess poured the sugared milk in front of her to form an improvised curtain to hide her body, while one of the maids rushed to cover her with a dress.

Thus was the legend born. The sugared milk (dudh) poured down the mountainside and continued to flow in torrents as a tribute to the everlasting virtue and modesty of the Princess of the Ghats. The Dudh Sagar (Sea of Milk) continues to flow to this day and attracts thousands of visitors to one of the most popular and famous tourist spots in the state of Goa.

A number of private operators offer special trips to the Waterfalls and the tours operated by GTDC (Goa Tourism Development Corpn) also have Dudhsagar Waterfalls as one of the tour stops.

The falls can also be reached by a train journey from Vasco or Margao. At Collem, in the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary near Mollem, there is a railway station where the train stops to pick up passengers for the journey to the waterfalls. There are two trains a day that stop at Dudhsagar Station and it's possible to catch a morning train up and spend several hours at the falls before taking an afternoon train back.

Near the top of the falls, the railway line from Vasco to Londa crosses the mountainside, with excellent views from the train. There also a couple of pools that you can swim in, making Dudhsagar a great place for a day full of fun and frolic. The alternate way of reaching the falls is only advisable between January and May, when the level of the water in the rivers abates enough to permit jeeps to approach the base of the falls.


Best time to visit: 

The good time to visit this magnificent falls and soak in its beauty is the Monsoon when the falls become active. It might get risky travelling to the waterfall during monsoon as the roads get slippery. However, visiting the Dudhsagar after the Monsoons form October to Mid December is a great idea as the roads are dry and safe and the fall still full of water.

How to reach Dudhsagar falls by Bus: 

Being the most popular waterfall in Goa, Dudhsagar forms a major sightseeing option on a tour organized by the Goa tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), or any other Private operators. The Dudhsagar falls is easily accessible by a train journey from Vasco or Margao. The train stops at Colllem in the Bhagwan Sanctuary near Mollem before reaching Dudhsagar falls. If you want reach the spot by the road then you can take jeep from the railway station of Collem. The roadway is recommended only between January and May when the level of the water permits the jeep to reach the base of the Dudhsagar falls. The interstate bus stand is at Ponda. Buses and taxis are also available from panaji to reach the Dudhsagar falls.

How to reach Dudhsagar falls by Train:  

It is 10 kilometers from Kulem Railway Station. This waterfalls lies on the Londa-Madgaon railway route. To view this waterfalls from close distance, travel by Delhi-Goa express (12780), Pune-Ernakulam Express(11098), Chennai-VascoDaGama Express or Miraj-Castle Rock passenger train which starts from Miraj rail junction. The falls is border for Karnataka and Goa states. One can also reach from Karnataka. The only accessible connectivity is Train. The station route is Hubli->Dharwad->Londa (or Belgaum->Londa)->Castle Rock->Kannai Ghat-> Doodha Sagar.