BASAVAKALYANA

Basavakayana (ಬಸವಕಲ್ಯಾಣ) is a small town at a distance of eighty kilometers from Bidar which is the head quarters of the district to which it belongs.(683 K.M. from Bangalore .) This is the head quarters of the talluk by the same name. Basavakalyana, which was thus renamed in honour of Basaveshvara the great saint-poet was earlier known as Kalyana(kalyaaNa) and has a celebrated history of its own.

Kalyana was the capital city of the Chalukya dynasty in the middle of the eleventh century. Someshvara-1 who ruled the kingdom between 1041A.D. and 1068A.D. selected Kalyana as his capital. Later the dyanasty itself was named Kalyani Chalukyas in order to differentiate them from the Chalukyas of Badami. This city finds a mention in many inscriptions belonging to that period as also books such as ‘Vikramankadeva Charite’ by Bilhana and ‘Mitakshara’ by Vijnaneshvara. Veerashaiva saints such as Basavanna and Akka Mahadevi have sung praises of Kalyana in their writings. After Someshvara-1, it was ruled by many illustrious kings such as Immadi Someshvara, the great Vikramaditya-6, Mummadi Someshvara, Mummadi jagadeka Malla and Mummadi Tailapa. Kalchuri dynasty which succeeded Kalyani Chalukyas continued to have Kalyana as their capital. Bijjala(1156-1167) was a witness to the Shivasharana revolution that took place in Kalyana under the leadership of Basaveshvara. Kalyana was ruled by Yadavas of Devagiri, Muhammaed Bin Thugalaq, Sultans of Bijapur, Bidar, Gulbarga and Mughals. Later it was taken over by the Nizams of Hyderabad. Many of its art and artefacts were destroyed during many confrontations. Consequently we find many ruins of temples and palaces. The small villages of Shivapura and Narayanapura which are near by contain beautiful temples even today. Kalyana was a big city spanning miles and many small towns surrounding it such as Pratapapura, Tripurantakapura and Umapura are deemed to be its extensions.

The architectural, sculptural and military marvels of Basavakalyana belong to different periods and are found scattered over the region. The fort made of black granite was built by Chalukyas and renovated in the succeeding periods. Many statues and the temple ruins of the Chalukya period are now stored with in this fort. Jalasangvi, Narayanapura and Shivapura contain beutiful temples of the Chalukya period. The Jalasangvi temple is of particular architectural interest.

There is a huge mound which is supposed to have contained the palace of Bijjala . There is a Basaveshvara temple at the centre of the town. Motimahal, Hydarimahal, Peeran Durgaa were built during the regime of Muslim kings. There are many places which of particualar religious interest such as Kambali Matha, Gachchina Matha and Sadananda Matha. Ghanalinga cave houses a temple. There are memorials erected in honour of many luminaries of the twelfth century.

Basavakalyana houses a museum containing many relics of the glorious past of this small town.

References: 1. Basavakalyana :: Fotopic.Net

2. www.jainheritagecentres.com> Jainism In India> Karnataka ...

Lord Shiva Temple dating back to Chalukya times i.e. 11th century at Narayanpura, 4km from Basavakalyana

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