Hooli

Hooli is a town in Belagaavi District in Karnataka, India. It is about 9 km from Saundatti. One of the oldest villages in the Belgaum District, Hooli is the site of the Panchaligeswara temple and the Trikuteshwara Temple. The village is historically rich, boasting of a ruined fort atop a hill and numerous temples. Hooli has been under the rule of the Rattas of Saundatti, Patwardhans of Ramdurg and most of the temples feature Chalukya architecture and were initially Jain Bastis indicating a Chalukya rule. The name of the village is a corrupted form of PooValli meaning a flowery ear ornament. The village was also called MahishpatiNagar in ancient times. The nice architecture of Hooli Panchalingeshwar Temple is to be adored. It is a protected monument that comes under Archaeological Survey of India. Earlier, during summer afternoons people used to rest in the shade of this temple. Because the temple was made of stone, it was unbelievably cool even in the scorching summer. Opposite the Panchalingeshwara temple is the relatively modern Hari Mandir. The Sant Culture or Nath tradition influenced heavily by Jnaneshwar flourished here. Other than Panchalingeshwara Temple, Hooli has many other old temples; most of them are now in ruins due to negligence. One can be amazed by the sculptures and carvings on the stone. Most of the temples have their floor dug up for treasure hunts, so much is lost and stolen. Other temples at Hooli include: Andhakeshwara Temple Bhavnisankara Temple Kalmeshwara Temple Kashi Vishwanatha Temple Madaneshwara Temple Suryanarayan Temple Tarkeshwara Temple Hooli Sangameshwar Ajjanavaru Temple Trikooteshwara Temple Hooli Beerdevar temple Hooli There probably are plans or proposals to convert the Panchlingeshwar Temple site to a tourist destination. To achieve this objective, the concerned central/state department has performed survey and has been in discussion with the local people. This development may involve the demolition of local houses within the perimeter of some 100–200 meters.