Balligavi

Balligavi a town in Shikaripura taluk Shivamogga district of Karnataka state, India, is today known as Belagami or Balagame. Its ancient names are Baligrama, Dakshina Kedara, Valliggame and Valligrame. Dakshina Kedara means Kedarnath of the South. A place of antiquity, it is known for its ancient monuments. Balligavi is located 72 km from Shivamogga city and 21 km from Shikaripura town and 2.3 km from Shiralakoppa in Shikaripura taluk. in Kannada means creeper or vine. Archaeologically, Balligavi dates from the Satavahana-Kadamba era and the Chaturmukha linga (four faced linga) here is in that style. The area came under the Banavasi province of the Kadamba Dynasty in 4-5th century AD. Important Kadamba inscriptions like the Talagunda inscriptions, near Balligavi have been collected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The golden age of Balligavi was during the rule of the Western Chalukya Empire during the 10th-12th centuries. The earliest inscription mentioning the name Balligavi is a 685 CE Badami Chalukya inscription. Balligavi during these times had six mathas, three puras "extensions", five vidyapithas "places of learning", and seven Brahmapuris. The mathas belonged to Shaivas, Vaishnavas, Jainas and Buddhists. The Kedareshwara matha belonging to the Kalamukha Shaivas and the Kodiya matha was well known and had the patronage of the Hoysala emperors, marking the place as one of religious activity. Records also indicate that an ancient University existed here. The town also had 54 temples and supported 60,000 residents during that time. Several Inscriptions reveas that it was very prominent and stronghold capital of the Vira Bananju warrior merchant community, i.e. modern day Banajigara or Banajiga or Balija community. Today, Balligavi is a quiet town much of whose daily routines revolve around agriculture and the famous 11th century Kedaresvara Temple and Tripurantakesvara Temple. Legend has it that Balligavi was the capital of an Asura king (demon) and hence was called Balipura (city of Bali).