HANAGALLU

HANAGALLU

Hanagallu (hAnagallu) (ಹಾನಗಲ್ಲು), a talluk head quarters in Haveri district of North Karnataka is a place of historical and architectural importance. It is located at a distance of about 80 kilometers from Dharwar city and it is situated on the banks of Dharma River. This was the capital of a particular branch of Kadamba dynasty who ruled from this place between the 11^th and 13^th centuries as feudatories of the Chalukyas of Kalyani. Excavations near the old fort of Hanagallu town have resulted in finding relics belonging to the period of Badami Chalukyas and Saatavaahanas. Mythology associates this place with ViraaTa rAja and the notorious Keechaka. It was once known as Panumgal.

Hangal was under the aegis of Kalyani Chalukyas, who have built their own style of temples in and around it. Later, it came under the rule of Hoysala dynasty who built the Bileshvara temple in the Hoysala style. ChaTTadeva, Keerthivarma and Kamadeva are among the more important kings of the Hangal Kadamba dynasty and they succeeded in extending the boundaries of their kingdom even though they continued to be under the control of Chalukyas.

The ancient fort of Hangal is made of clay. Only three walls and sixteen bastions are still standing. ruins of the old palace are to be seen within the fort. The relics found here after the excavations include baked and painted earthen vessels, weapons made of flint stones and earthen beads in the shape of areca nuts.

Hanagallu contains many temples belonging to various periods in its history. TaarakEshvara temple is the biggest and most artistic. This was built by Kalyani Chalukyas and it makes use of black-green stone. Tarakeshwara temple (mid 12th century), is dedicated to Shiva. The outer walls of this temple are articulated with both Dravidian and Nagara style of miniature shikharas. The temple is famous for its very large domical ceiling in the main hall, which rises, in concentric circles of cusped mouldings, and then, at the apex, falling again in a great rosette or pendant.

The Jaina temple in Hanagal (1150 A.D.) is built in the Hoysla style. Veerbhadra, Billeshvara and Ganesha are other important temples of Hanagal. Kumaraswamy MaTha is yet another attraction of Hanagallu.

More than twenty inscriptions installed by Chalukya Vikramaditya-6, Kalachuri Bijjala and many kings of the Kadamba dynasty are found in Hanagal.