Saundatti

Savadatti is one of the oldest towns in Belagavi district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a celebrated centre located 78 kilometres from Belagavi and 41 kilometres from Dharwad. Savadatti is also the name of the taluk (sub-district), which was previously named Parasgad. There are several ancient temples in Savadatti. The historical name of the Savadatti was Sugandavarti "Sougandipura". It was the capital of the Ratta dynasty (from 875-1230), until the capital shifted to Belagavi. During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, Belagavi was the capital of the Rattas, the chieftains of Savadatti. The fort at Belagavi was built by Bichiraja (Ratta Dynasty) in 1204. The Ratta clan was one of several names of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty. Rattas of Savadatti accepted the overlordship of Taila II (AD 973-977). Two of the pillars at Belagavi fort have Kannada inscriptions in Nagari script, one inscription from around 1199 is attributed to the Ratta king Kartaveerya IV. Branches of Rashtrakuta Dynasty In one of the inscriptions related to Rattas of Savadatti it is mentioned that Krishna III having appointed Prithvirama as a chief feudatory had dignified the Ratta dynasty of Savadatti. The Rattas of Savadatti, used to represent themselves as Lords of Lattaluru(present day Latur). At Savadatti, Jain inscription slab written in Sanskrit and Kanarese (Kannada) of Krishna Rashtrakuta, Shaka 797 (c. 875 AD), and Vikramaditya, Shaka 1017 (c. 1095 AD). At Savadatti, in front of the Western Chalukya-style Ankeshwara temple, there is an inscription carved into the wall by the Ratta Chief Ankarasa. The Rattas of Savadatti are Jains by religion. In the 11th century Rattas of Savadatti and their provincial governors were great patrons of Jainism. Kartivirya's son, a Jain saint Munichandra, a minister to Laksmideva and a teacher, and has the title of Acarya, the founder of Ratta-rajya. Savadatti has two small Jain basadis dating back to Ratta times. 18th century Savadatti fort was built by the Sirasangi Desai with 8 bastions.