Jatta Goswami at 17:15, 30 October 2025

2025-10-30T17:15:46Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Bankapura
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = town
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Karnataka
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Karnataka, India
| coordinates = {{coord|14.9167|N|75.2667|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Karnataka]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Haveri district|Haveri]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 8
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 578
| population_total = 20264
| population_as_of = 2001
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = 2533
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kannada]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]Bankapura
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 581 202
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 08378
| registration_plate =
| website = {{URL|bankapurtown.mrc.gov.in}}
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-KA]]
| footnotes =
}}

'''Bankapura''' is a [[panchayat town]] in [[Haveri district]] in the state of [[Karnataka]], [[India]]. It is in [[Shiggaon]] taluk, is just 2.5 km from the [[Pune]]-[[Bangalore]] national highway NH-4, 22 km from [[Haveri]] town. Bankapura is about 45 km from [[Hubli-Dharwad]]. An historical site, Bankapura is famous for the ''[[Nagareshvara Temple, Bankapura|Nagareshwara temple]], Bankapura fort, The [[Bankapura Peacock Sanctuary]]''. [[Baada, Shiggaon|Baada]], the birthplace of [[Kanakadasa]] is near to Bankapura.

==History==
[[File:Nagaresvara Temple oldKannada inscription.JPG|thumb|left|''Old [[Kannada]]'' inscription (late 11th - early 12th century) at ''Nagaresvara Temple in Bankapura'', [[Karnataka]]]]
Under the ''[[Chalukyas]]'', many temples were built here, but during an invasion by [[Ali Adil Shah I]], the [[Turko-Persian]] [[Bijapur Sultanate|Sultan of Bijapur]] in about 1565 most of the temples were destroyed. A fort, now in ruins, at Bankapura houses the Ranganatha Nagareshwara temple, which has ''66 pillars carved out of grey stone''. There is also a mosque in the fort. The place is of historical significance to [[Jain communities|Jains]]. Adipuran, a Jain religious text was composed here.
Bankapura fort (454 CE), was ruled by ''[[Kadamba Dynasty|Kadamba]] of [[Banavasi]], [[Gangas]], [[Cholas]], [[Rashtrakutas]], [[Hoysalas]], [[Chalukyas]], [[Vijayanagara Empire|Emperors of Vijayanagara]], [[Turko-Persian]] [[Adil Shahi|Adilshahis]] of [[Adil Shahi|Bijapur]], Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan''.
During the 9th century, Bankapura was in the honour of ''Bankeyarasa'' (in 898 CE) who was a feudatory of the [[Rashtrakuta]] Emperor [[Amoghavarsha I]].
In the 11th century the [[Kadambas]] took over, followed by the [[Hoysalas]] ruler ''Vishnuvardhana''.

;Invasion by the Bahamnis
In the 16th century, the [[Turko-Persian]] Bahmanis invaded Bankapura and Mustapha Khan of Bijapur annexed the fortress after a pitched battle for more than a year. The Nawabs of Savanur and the Marathas ruled for a short duration before [[Hyder Ali]] and [[Tipu Sultan|Tipu]] took possession. Later, Bankapura was ceded to the British.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/21250/F
|title=Many pillared wonder - Nagareshwara temple at Bankapura
|publisher=B V Prakash - Deccanherald
|access-date=2013-06-03
}}</ref>

;Inscriptions

In the Nagareshwara temple, at the entrance to the mukhamantapa, there are large clear inscriptions written in old Kannada.

{{See also|Mahapurana (Jainism)|Kadamba of Hangal#Coinage of Hangal Kadambas}}

It is known from history that the great poet of Kannada literature, Ranna, visited Bankapura to meet Ajithsenacharya, who became his teacher.
<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://jainsamaj.org/rpg_site/literature2.php?id=637&cat=42 |title=Archived copy |access-date=9 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101180119/http://jainsamaj.org/rpg_site/literature2.php?id=637&cat=42 |archive-date=1 November 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Bankapura Fort==

Inside the ruined Bankapura fort, conquered by the [[Turko-Persian]][[Bahamani]]s, there is a temple built by the [[Chalukyas]] known as ''Aravattaru Kambada Gudi''. Bankapura is an important historical place where many battles were fought by a succession of rulers. In spite of the vandalism the Nagareshwara temple remains ornate.{{fact|date=August 2020}}

==Nagareshwar temple==
{{main|Nagareshvara Temple, Bankapur}}
[[File:Ornate porch entrance in Nagaresvara Temple at Bankapura.jpg|thumb|200px|right| Bankapur Nagaresvara Temple door panels]]
[[File:Bankapura Nagareswara temple 2.JPG|thumb|300px|right| Bankapura Nagareswara temple]]
[[File:Bankapura Nagareswara temple 1.JPG|thumb|300px|right| Bankapura Nagareswara temple]]

The impressive Bankapur fort area has the eye catching 66 pillared Nagareshwar temple (locals call it as ''Aravattu Kambada Gudi'' - means ''60 pillars temple'' in Kannada) was built (in a depression to conceal it from invaders) in the 11th century in Chalukya style (in a depression). There are many well carved pillars. The fort area comprises {{convert|139.10|acre|km2}} of land of, which {{convert|52.10|acre|m2|sing=on}} is reserved for the popularly known ''Mayura Vana'', the abode of the peacocks for three decades. As per the 16 inscriptions, has references to the history of this place, it was dedicated to Shiva. The temple also once it was a centre for study and research on Jainism. During rule of ''Mustafa Khan'' the temple, the back corners of the temple hall completely damaged including number of carvings in the exterior wall panels
but the pillars, the artistic carvings and the ceiling designs are intact.

==The peacock sanctuary==
{{Main|Bankapura Peacock Sanctuary}}
Bankapura is a conservation reserve for [[peafowl|peacocks]] by the [[Government of India]].

==Demographics==
{{As of|2001}} India [[census]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=2004-06-16|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=2008-11-01|publisher= Census Commission of India}}</ref> Bankapura had a population of 20,264. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Bankapur has an average literacy rate of 59%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with 58% of the males and 42% of females literate. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Bankapura}}
* [http://maps.google.co.in/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=bankapura&aq=&sll=15.423793,75.431421&sspn=0.00726,0.012467&ie=UTF8&hq=bankapura&hnear=&ll=14.923243,75.252292&spn=0.009413,0.013754&t=h&z=16 Bankapura Fort on Google Maps]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Chalukya dynasty]]
[[Category:Western Chalukya Empire]]
[[Category:Forts in Karnataka]]
[[Category:Bird sanctuaries of Karnataka]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Haveri district]]

Bankapura - Revision history

Jatta Goswami at 17:15, 30 October 2025