Did you know that an uncommon sentry tower at the Banashankari Amma Temple near Badami town in Karnataka is a mélange of Vijayanagara Hindu and Islamic architectural styles?
Banashankari Amma Temple (or Banashankari temple) is a Hindu shrine located at Cholachagudda near Badami, in Bagalkot district, Karnataka. The temple is popularly called 'Shakambhari' 'Banashankari or Vanashankari' as it is located in the Tilakaaranya forest. The temple deity is also called the Shakambhari (Kannada: ಶಾಕoಭರಿ), an incarnation of the goddess Parvati. Locals also call the temple goddess as Balavva, Banadavva, Sunkavva, Shiravanthi, Chowdamma and Vanadurge. It is believed that Banashankari is the sixth incarnation of the warrior-goddess Durga. The forests around the temple have coconut, plantain and betel leaf plants and trees. Hence, it is also said that during a severe famine, the goddess provided vegetables and food for the people to survive and thus, the goddess was given the name Shakambari.
Historians have dated the original temple to the 7th century AD - the Kalyani Chalukya period to Jagadekamalla I in 603 AD (according to epigraphic inscriptions) who installed the image of the goddess. The present refurbished temple was built in 1750, by Parusharam Agale, a Maratha chieftain. It is also said that the original temple was in existence even before the reign of the Chalukyas who gave royal favour to the beliefs of the Vaishnava, Shaivaite, Jain and Shakta religious orders. They worshipped Banashankari as a form of Shakti, their Supreme Goddess. Epigraphic inscriptions mention that Jagadekamalla I renovated the temple with several additions. Another inscription in Kannada language on a pillar located on the northern side of the temple dated to 1019 AD, describes the bravery of the Rashtrakuta king Bhimadeva. The Deepa Stambas (lamp pillar) are seen at the entrance to the temple; the construction of these, as per an inscription, are ascribed to the warrior Ketimayya.
The temple was built initially in the Dravidian architectural style. The rebuilt structure is in the Vijayanagara architectural style. The temple is enclosed by a high wall on all sides. The main structure has a mukha mantapa (portico), ardha mantapa (entrance porch/chamber in front of the sanctum) and a sanctum topped by a Vimana (tower). The main sanctum of the temple has the image of goddess Banashankari deified in it. The black stone sculpture depicts the goddess seated on a lioness trampling a demon under her foot. The goddess has eight arms and holds a trishul (trident), damaru (hand drum), kapaalpatra (skull cup), ghanta (war bell), Vedic scriptures, khadga-kheta (sword and shield) and severed head of demon.
There is a 360 ft (109.7 m) square water tank in the forefront of the temple, which is locally called as Haridra Tirtha, a corrupted version of the name Harishchandra Tirtha. The pond is enclosed with stone mantapas (halls) on three sides. A pradakshina or circumambulatory path surrounds the tank.
Lamp towers (Deepa stambhas) are seen in the foreground of the temple on the west bank of the pond and also at the entrance. The tower on the bank of the tank is also an uncommon guard tower which "reflects the Vijayanagara blend of Hindu and Islamic style". It is called the Victory Tower.
The goddess Banashankari was the Kuladevi (tutelary deity) of the Chalukyas. The goddess Banashankari is the tutelary god for Devanga Community. The Devanga weaver community in particular, holds this goddess in great reverence. Banashankari is also the tutelary deity of some Deshastha Brahmins.
Apart from the daily religious worship at the temple, other major festivals held here are the Banashankari jatre ('jatre' means a "fair") as part of the Rath yatra which is held annually. The Rartha yatra starts on the full moon day of the Hindu month Pausha (January) in which the temple goddess Parvati is taken in the chariot. As part of the three weeks Jatra, a Palleda Habba or the Vegetable Utsava or festival is also held when at the start itself 108 varieties of food items (called ‘bazi’ in local language) made of vegetables are offered to the deity.
The temple is located at Cholachagudd about 5 km from Badami twon, on the road to Gadag. Badmai is 495 km from Bengaluru city and 125 km from Hubli, which is the nearest airport.
Source: Extracts from Wikipedia article with my inputs in July 2009.
- Narasipur Char
