Temples of Karnataka

Temple Complex
Aihole Temples
Located 43 Kms from Kudala Sangama, Aihole was the ancient capital of Chalukyas. Famous as the cradle of "Indian Architecture". There are about 125 temples divided into 22 groups scattered all over the villages and nearby fields. Most of these temples were built between the 6th & 8th centuries and some even earlier. 

Pattadakal
Pattadakal Situated on the left bank of the Malaprabha River, Pattadakkal is a World Heritage Centre. The town has 10 major temples representing early Chalukyan architecture and several minor ones. This place reached its pinnacle of glory under the Chalukyas from the seventh to the ninth centuries functioning as a royal commemorative site. The biggest temple here, dedicated to Virupaksha, has a massive gateway and several inscriptions.

Badami Complex
This is Cave Temple complex. The capital of the Early Chalukyas, Badami is picturesquely situated at the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills - all carved out of sand stone on the precipice of a hill. The largest and most ornamental is the third cave temples dedicated to Vishnu. Overlooking the cave temples is a reservoir dotted with temples dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva.

Belur - Halebid complex
Southern Banaras Belur, the temple town is located 34 kms from Hassan. Famous for its exquisite temple, Belur is known as the Dakshina Varanasi or Southern Banaras. The serenity of Belur is attributed to the celebrated Chennakesava Temple built by the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana in 1117 A.D to commemorate his conversion from Jainism to Vaishnavism. Located 17 kms from Belur, Halebid was known as Dwara Samudra, the wealthy capital of the Hoysalas. The great city of Dwarasamudra flourished as a Capital of the Hoysala Empire during the 12th & 13th centuries. Each region has a temple complex.

Hampi Temple city
Hampi, the land of surprises was founded in the middle of 14th Century by two local princes, Hakka & Bukka. The Vijayanagar Empire came to be celebrated for its might and wealth and as a show piece of imperial magnificence. The city has large number of temples.

Mysore
Located 770m above sea level and 140 Kms from Bangalore, Mysore, the imperial city, was the erstwhile capital of the Wodeyars. Also known as the city of Palaces, Mysore has never failed to mesmerise the tourists with its quaint charm, rich heritage, magnificent palaces, beautifully laid-out gardens, imposing buildings, broad shady avenues and sacred temple. There is a large number of temples in and around Mysore.

Gokarna Temples
An Ancient Centre of Learning. Has many temples particularly many employ kavi Art. Mahabaleshwar temple and Ganesha temples are the most famous. Surathkal, Dhareshwar, Gunavanteshwar, Murudeshwar and Shejjeshwar temples make the legendary Atmalinga circuit.

Mudabidri Temples
Mudabidri has the largest number of Jain temples and monuments.  Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani basadi. is the largest and the most flamboyantly designed Jain temples of Mudabidri. The natives there also refer to it as Thousand Pillared temple or Savira Kambada Basadi.


Temples
Adi Narayana Temple at Dodballpur near Bangalore
Adikesava Temple at Kaginelli (Haveri) near Dharwar
Agastyeswara Temple at Tirumukkoodal near Mysore
Ahobala Narasimha Temple at Niratadi near Davangere
Aihole Temples near Dharwar
Akkanna Basti at Sravanabelagola near Hassan
Allanatha (Varadaraja) Temple at Maddur
Amaranarayana Temple at Kaivara near Kolar
Ambamata Temple, Malkhed, Gulbarga
Amritalingamanikeshwara Temple at Nanditavare (Malebennur) near Chitradurga
Amriteshwara Temple at Amritapura near Tarikere
Amriteshwara Temple at Annigeri near Hubli
Anantapadmanabha Temple at Hosa Budanur near Mandya
Ananteshwara Temple at Udupi near Mangalore
Ananthashyana Temple, Belgaum
Anjaneya Temple at Tekal near Kolar
Annapoorani Temple at Kalasa near Chikmagalur
Aprameya Temple at Malur near Kolar
Arkeshwara Templ at Talakad near Mysore
Arkeshwara Temple at Hale Arur (Chamrajnagar) near Mysore
Atmalinga temple, Gokarna
Avimukteshwara Temple at Hoskote near Bangalore
Badami Temples near Dharwar
Badri Narayana Temple at Melkote near Krishnarajpet (Mandya)
Bagandeshwar Temple at Baagamandala near Madikeri
Balakrishna Temple at Udupi near Mangalore
Balarama Temple at Pandeshwar (Udupi) near Mangalore
Banashankari Temple at Annigeri near Hubli
Basappa Temple at Annigeri near Hubli
Basavanna Temple at Haveri near Dharwar
Bhairaveshwara Temple,Shiroor
Bhandari Basti at Sravanabelagola near Hassan
Bhadrakali Temple, Gokarna
Bharateshwara Temple at Avani (Mulbagal) near Kolar
Bhimeshwara Temple at Kaivara near Kolar
Bhrama Jinalaya at Kuppattur near Shimoga
Bhrama Jinalaya at Lakkundi (Gadag) near Dharwar
Bhrammeshwara Temple at Kikkeri (Krishnarajpet) near Mysore
Bucheshwara Temple at Koramangala near Hassan
Cave Temples , Badami
Chamundeswari Temple at Chamundi Hill near Mysore
Chandeshwari Temple at Srinivaspur near Kolar
Chandeswari Temple at Vogata (Hosakote) near Bangalore
Chandralamba Temple , Sonthi ,Gulbarga
Chandramoulishwara Temple at Udupi near Mangalore
Chandramoulishwara Temple at Chintamani near Kolar
Channakesava Temple at Chikballapur near Kolar
Chatteshwara Temple at Chat Chattanahalli (Halebidu) near Hassan
Chhaya Bhagavati cave temple, Gulbarga
Chennakesava Temple at Haranhalli (Arsikere) near Hassan
Chennakesava Temple at Aralaguppe near Tiptur
Chennakesava Temple at Belur near Hassan
Cheluva Narayana temple, Melukote, Mandya
Dattatreya Temple at Koormagadde (Naradagadde) near Raichur
Dharmeshwara Temple at Kondarahalli (Hosakote) near Bangalore
Dineshwara Temple at Hale Arur (Chamrajnagar) near Mysore
Dodda Basappa Temple at Dambala (Gadag) near Dharwar
Durga Temple at Agara (Yelandur) near Mysore
Durgaparameshwari temple, Kateel
Durga Temple, Karwar
Durga temple, Belgaum
Eshwara Temple at Anekonda near Davangere
Ganapathi temple , Belgaum
Ganesha Temple , Idagunji, Karwar Dist.
Gajina Basappa Temple at Annigeri near Hubli
Galageshwara Temple at Heggare near Chitradurga
Gangadhareshwara Temple at Srirangapattana near Mysore
Gangadhareshwara Temple at Shivaganga near Tumkur
Gangadhareshwara Temple at Turuvekere near Tumkur
Gangeshwara Temple at Madhugangur near Shimoga
Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple at Bangalore
Gopalakrishna Temple at Tonnur (Melkote) near Krishnarajpet (Mandya)
Gopalakrishna Temple at Krishnaraja Sagar near Mysore
Gopalakrishna Temple at Patrenahalli near Kolar
Govindeshwara Temple at Near Hassan
Gowreeshwara Temple at Yelandur near Mysore
Harihareshwara Temple at Harihar (Davangere) near Chitradurga
Hazara Rama Temple,  Hampi
Hidimbeshwar Temple, Chitradurga
Hire Hanuman Temple at Annigeri near Hubli
Hoysala Temple at Mosale near Hassan
Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu near Hassan
Hrthareshwar temple, Harthara, Chitradurga Dist.
Ishwara Temple at Arsikere near Hassan
Ishwara Temple at Nandigudi near Male Bennur, Chitaladrug
Ishwara Temple at Arsikere near Hassan
Ishwara Temple at Nanditavare (Malebennur) near Chitradurga
Jagadeka Malleshwara Temple at Belagami near Shikarpur
Jain Temple at Bannikere near Shimoga
Jambunatha Swamy Hill Temple at Hospet
Jwalamukhi Tripurasundari Temple at Uddanahalli (Nanjangud) near Mysore
Jwarahareswara Temple at Kandavara near Kolar
Kalabhairava Temple at Seethi near Kolar
Kalahasteshwara Temple at Kaginelli (Haveri) near Dharwar
Kalaseshwara Temple at Kalasa near Chikmagalur
Kalleshwara Temple at Heggare near Chitradurga
Kalleswari Temple,  Ambali, Near Kottur
Kanakachalapathi Temple at Kanakagiri near Hospet
Kappe Chennigaraya Temple at Belur near Hassan
Kapileshwara temple, Belgaum
Kasi Visweswara Temple at Lakkundi (Gadag) near Dharwar
Kasi Visweswara Temple at Hosa Budanur near Mandya
Kattale Basti (Adinatha Jinalaya) at Chandragiri Hill near Hassan
Kavur Kamakshi Temple, Kumta
Kedareshwara Templ at Halebidu near Hassan
Kengal Anjaneya Swamy Temple , Vandaraguppe village ,Channapatna
Kesava Temple at Somnathapura near Mysore
Kirti Narayana Temple at Talakad near Mysore
Kodandaramaswamy Temple at Kanchankatte (Saligram) near Krishnarajpet (Mandya)
Kolaramma Temple at Kolar
Kumaraswamy Saila Temple at Bangalore
Kumbheshwar temple , Kumta
Lakshmaneshwara Temple at Avani (Mulbagal) near Kolar
Lakshmi Devi Temple at Dodda-gaddavalli near Hassan
Lakshmi Narasimha Temple at Hole Narasipur near Sravanabelagola
Lakshmi Narayana Temple at Chamundi Hill near Mysore
Lakshmi Temple at Kaginelli (Haveri) near Dharwar
Lakshminarasimha Temple at Nuggihalli near Tiptur
Maha Ganapati Temple at Kurudumale near Kolar
Maha Ganapathi Temple, Gokarna
Mahabaleshwar Temple at Chamundi Hill near Mysore
Mahabaleshwar Temple at Gokarna near Karwar
Mahadeva Temple at Itgi near Raichur
Mahalingeshwara Temple, Suratkal
Mahalasa Narayani Temple, Kumta
Mahishamardini Temple, Neelavara, Udupi
Mahishamardini temple, Kadiyali, Udupi
Mallari Temple at Gudda Guddaapura near Ranebennur (Dharwar)
Mallara temple, Bellary
Mallikarjuna Hill Temple at Near Talakkad near Mysore
Mallikarjuna Temple at Basaralu near Mandya
Mangayi Basti at Sravanabelagola near Hassan
Mangala Devi Temple, Mangaluru 
Marikamba Temple, Sirsi 
Markandeshwara Temple at Vokkalery Hill near Kolar
Markandeshwara Temple at Kallur near Raichur
Maruleshwara Temple at Talakad near Mysore
Mookambika Temple at Kollur near Mangalore
Murdeshwar Temple at Murdeshwar (Bhatkal) near Karwar
Maruti Temple, Belgaum
Nagara Jinalaya at Hatna near Tiptur
Nakeshwara Temple at Near Hassan
Nambi Narayana Temple at Tonnur (Melkote) near Krishnarajpet (Mandya)
Nandi Temples at Nandi Hills near Bangalore
Narada Temple at Naradagadde near Raichur
Narasimha Temple at Devaraya Durga Hill near Tumkur
Narasimha Temple at Kaginelli (Haveri) near Dharwar
Narasimha Temple at Kunigal (Tumkur) near Bangalore
Narasimha Temple at Maddur
Narasimha Temple at Savandrurga near Bangalore
Narasimha Temple at Agara (Yelandur) near Mysore
Navalinga Temples at Kuknur near Hospet
Nimishamba Temple , Bengaluru 
Omkareshwara Temple at Madikeri
Paataleswara Temple at Talakad near Mysore
Pakshi Ranganatha Temple at Kumsi near Shimoga
Pampapathi temple, Hampi
Pancha Basadi at Humcha near Nagar Taluk
Para Vasudeva Temple at Gundlupet near Mysore
Parsvanatha Basti at Chamrajanagar near Mysore
Parsvanatha Basti at Heggere near Chitradurga
Pattabhirama Temple at Hampi near Hospet
Pattabhirama Temple at Ramanathapura near Krishnarajpet (Mandya)
Pattadakal Temples at Pattadakal near Dharwar
Prasanna Rameshwara Temple, Devavrunda 
Ramalinga Swamy Temple at Avani (Mulbagal) near Kolar
Ramanatheshwar Temple at Ramanathapura near Krishnarajpet (Mandya)
Ramdeva temple, Ramanadurga or Ramgad
Rameswara Temple at Agara (Yelandur) near Mysore
Ranganatha Nagareshwara Temple at Bankapura near Hubli
Ranganatha Temple at Anegondi near Hospet
Ranganatha Temple at Srirangapattana near Mysore
Ranganna Temple at Biligiri Rangan Hills near Mysore
Sadasiva Temple at Nuggihalli near Tiptur
Sadashiva temple, Suratkal
Sadhalingeshwara Temple, Yediyur, Tumkur Dist.
Sangameshwara Temple at Kaginelli (Haveri) near Dharwar
Sangameshwara Temple at Mekedatu near Bangalore
Sankareshwara Temple at Near Belur near Hassan
Santemallappa Temple at Oderhalli near Chiknayakanhalli
Salt Ganapati , Kumta
Savati Ghandavarana Basti at Chandragiri Hill near Hassan
Shankaranarayana Temple at Shankaranarayana (Agumbe) near Shimoga
Shankar Narayan temple, Kumta
Shanmuka Temple, Gokarna
Shantinatha Basti at Sravanabelagola near Hassan
Shantinatha Jinalaya at Jinanathapura near Hassan
Shantika Parameshwari Temple, Kumta
Shanteri Kamakshi Temple, Kumta
Sharadambe, Sringeri
Sharanabasaveshwara, Gulbarga
Shatrughneshwara Temple at Avani (Mulbagal) near Kolar
Shiva Temple at Paparajanhalli near Kolar
Siddhadeva Temple at Haveri near Dharwar
Siddheshwara Temple at Bankapura near Hubli
Someshwara Temple at Suttur (Nanjangud) near Mysore
Someshwara Temple at Lakshmeshwar near Hubli
Someshwara Temple at Gadag near Dharwar
Someshwara Temple at Hale Budanur near Mandya
Someshwara Temple at Kurudumale near Kolar
Someshwara Temple at Kunigal (Tumkur) near Bangalore
Someshwara Temple at Magadi near Bangalore
Someshwara Temple at Husigala (Hosakote) near
Someshwara Temple at Kaginelli (Haveri) near Dharwar
Someshwara Temple at Kolar
Someshwara Temple at Haranhalli (Arsikere) near Hassan
Soumyakesava Temple at Nagamangala near Mandya
Gomateswara Temple at Sravanabelagola near Mysore
Srikanteswara Temple at Nanjangud near Mysore
Sripathishwara Temple at Seethi near Kolar
Subramanya Temple at Subramanya near Mangalore
Suryanarayana Temple at Lakkundi (Gadag) near Dharwar
Talakad Vaidyeswara Temple at Talakad near Mysore
Terina Basti Jinalaya at Sravanabelagola near Hassan
The Bull Temple at Bangalore
Tamra-Gauri Temple , Gokarna
Tiru Narayana Temple at Melkote near Krishnarajpet (Mandya)
Tirumulasthanam Udayar Templ at Hale Arur (Chamrajnagar) near Mysore
Trikuteshwara Temple at Gadag near Dharwar
Trinishwara Temple at Mysore
Uma Maheshwari Temple, Gokarna
Vaidyeswara Temple at Mambali (Yelandur) near Mysore
Varahaswamy Temple at Mysore
Varadaraj Temple, Gokarna
Veeraanjaneya Swamy Temple at Mulbagal near Kolar
Veerabhadra Temple at Chikballapur near Kolar
Venkataramanaswamy Temple at Guttahalli near Kolar
Venkatramana Temple at Chiknayakanhalli near Tumkur
Venugopalaswamy Temple at Devanhalli near Bangalore
Venugopla Swami Temple, Shorapur, Gulbarga
Vidyashankara Temple at Sringeri near Mangalore
Vijayendra Temple at Bethamangala (Mulbagal) near Kolar
Vira Narayana Temple at Gadag near Dharwar
Vira Narayana Temple at Belur near Hassan
Virabhadra Temple at Kaginelli (Haveri) near Dharwar
Virabhadra Temple at Halebidu near Hassan
Virabhadra Temple at Savandrurga near Bangalore
Virupaksha Temple at Virupakshipura(Mulbagal) near Kolar
Virupaksha Temple at Hampi near Hospet
Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal , Bijapur
Vithala Temple at Hampi near Hospet
Vithoba temple, Belagavi.
Yellamadevi Temple, Bankapur 
Yoga Narasimha Temple at Tonnur (Melkote) near Krishnarajpet (Mandya)
Yoga Narasimha Temple at Mudgere near Chikmagalur
Yoganarasimha Temple and the Bhoganarasimha Temple, Devarayana Durga

Kannada inscriptions and artifacts

Kannada Historic marks
350,000BC
The Hunsgi and Baichbal Valleys in Gulbarga Dist with 200 Acheulean localities, representing one of the densest site accumulations in the Old World. The sites are associated with various types of fauna including wild cattle, horse, deer, elephant, and turtle. The spectacular site that has yielded 15,000 stone tools. The Isampur quarry has revealed the precise locations where the people manufactured stone tools, allowing us to infer how they procured and reduced the available stone. Study of the stone tools has given us insight into the decisions made by the artefact manufacturers.

50,000BC
palaeolithic quarry along the Malaprabha and Ghataprabha rivers in the Kaladgi Basin

5000BC
Pre-Historic Arts in Kupgal Hills in Bellary. Even though the art form is later period than Indus valley, it is similar age to southeast asian art. the art work besides showing plants , Bow and arrow also show a man gripping woman by Hair. some of the dolerite boulders at the upper Kupgal rock art site appear to have been used for percussion purposes. These boulders, which were referred to as ‘musical stones’ bear multiple small groove-like impressions. these impressions emit loud musical ringing tones when struck by granite stones. The production of these deep bell- or gong-like sounds occurs only when the rounded impressions are struck, and not when other parts of the boulders are hit. Similar rounded impressions or ‘ringing rocks’ as such stones are commonly termed in other parts of the world, were subsequently found at other rock art sites in the vicinity, including the dolerite outcrop to the west of Halakundi. This shows the musical sense in the early people.

This period also saw full scale domestication of cattle in this area which shows presence of Ash mounds due to burning of cowdung collected locally called Budhibetta in Kannada.

3500BC
Prehistoric site in Sanganakallu-Kupgal,Bellary confirms Kannadigas wide spread cultivation of wild mungbean(Vigna Radiata),Horse gram (macrotyloma unifolorum) and two millets(Brachiara Romosa and setaria verticillata) for the first time in India ahead of North India and confirms them as first fullscale farmers in South India.

2200BC
proto-historic site at Hadonahalli in Shimoga taluk on the banks of the Tungabhadra. With Continuos occupation.Early historical pottery, including russet coated white paint,an axe and a cleaver of Acheulean types, made on the hematite quartzite, showing particularly the first and the last signs of rolling were found. The area had was a human habitation even from the Early Palaeolithic stage and was a regular dwelling site during the early or late Neolithic and Iron Age. The spread of pebbles on the surface of the site shows signs of the site being deserted after heavy floods.

2135-1755 B.C
Charcolithic site in Hallur

1500BC
Settlement with Horse Bones found in Hallur. Indicating domesticated horse disproving Aryan invasion theory

1435-1230 B.C
Iron weapons Hallur in Dhaward district, Iron age in Karnataka starts prior to 1000BC.

1200BC
1.Hand axe at Lingasugur in Raichur district.
2.Neolithic settlements with Circular huts and small cemetry Tekkalakota Bellary dist

1000BC
Burial grounds found in Koramangala and Chikkajala; pre-historic sites near Anekal and Tabaranahalli in Bangalore

500 to 400 BC
Euripedes and Aristophanes use Kannada words and phrases in their dramas and skits.

300BC
Chandragupta Maurya surrenders his Empire and Comes to Sravanabelagola in Hassan Dist with 15000 followers. Place is called chandragupta Basdi.

240BC
Maski inscription shows both Ashoka and Priyadarshin, which confirmed that ashoka is priyadarshin

230BC
Emperor Ashoka's Brahmagiri,Siddapura,Jatinga-Ramesvara edicts which has kannada words.

100BC
Charition mime, a Greek drama discovered at Oxyrhynchus contains scenes where Indian characters in the skit speak dialogue in Kannada

50BC
Buddhist site at Tunnur in Chitapur taluk of Gulbarga district, Mandoka Jataka story, Dharmachakra, a piece of stupa fence, and two types of memorial stones. A Inscription in Brahmi script and Prakrit language. One of them reads: "Valavasa Papalana Kanhasa." Kanhasa means Krishna.

27BC
coins of Roman emperors Augustus, Tyberius and Claudius found in Yeshwantpur and HAL areas in Bangalore

50AD
Ptolemy Map shows places and ports in Karnataka

250AD
Two inscriptions from the Sinhalese monastery in Nāgārjunikonda, refer to the teachers of the ‘Theriyas, Vibhajjavādas, Mahāvihāravāsins’, who have brought faith to various lands refers to Banwasi.

300 - 400 AD
Nishadi (Sallekhana Samadhi or Nishadi stone memorials erected for the departed revered Jains) inscription at Chandragiri hill of Shravanabelagola. It contains Prakrit, Sanskrit and Purvada Halegannada words. The four-lined inscription has six words. The inscription is in Shatavahana Brahmi and Aadi Ganga script. This is also claimed by Epigraphist M.G. Manjunath to be oldest full length kannada inscription

444AD
Sanskrit-Kannada bilinguial copper plate inscription (tamarashaasana) is the Tumbula inscriptions of Western Ganga Dynasty

450 AD
First example of full length Kannada language stone inscription (shilashaasana) in Hale Kannada (Old-Kannada) script can be found in the Halmidi inscription. This inscription is completely in kannada(No prakrit or Sanskrit words)

500 AD
discovery of copper coin Banavasi, Uttara Kannada district with the inscription Srimanaragi in Kannada script of Kadamabas

543AD
Badami cliff shilashaasana of Pulakesi I Sanskrit inscription in Hale Kannada script.

700AD
Kappe Arabhatta inscription, found on a rock edict in Badami written in archaic Kannada script.

“Good to the good, sweet to the sweet,
This exceptional man of Kaliyuga
Is a veritable Madhava himself “

800AD
Kannada tamarashaasana in Old Kannada script belongs to Alupas ruled by Aluvarasa II from Belmannu, South Kanara district and has the double crest fish, their royal emblem.

900AD
Ancient manuscripts The oldest well-preserved palm leaf manuscript is in old Kannada and is that of Dhavala, preserved in the Jain Bhandar, Mudbidri, Dakshina Kannada district. The manuscript contains 1478 leaves written in ink.

964 AD
The inscription at Jura in Jabalpur, reign of Rashtrakuta Krishna III, classical Kannada literary composition, with charming poetic diction in polished Kannada metre.

1400AD
Hakka and Bukka Build Hampi