Annigeri is a small town in Navalgund Taluk of Dharwad District in the Indian state of Karnataka, located 20 km west of Gadag en route to Hubli and 35 km from Hubli-Dharwad. It has an average elevation of 624 metres above sea level. Annigeri is the place of birth of the famous personality of Kannada literature Adikavi Pampa, and is better known for the black stone temple set up by the Western Chalukya Empire called Amruteshwara Temple. A temple of mythological figures supported by 76 columns, situated in the Dharwad district, and dedicated to Parshva, the 23rd Tirthankara in Jainism. Annigeri houses temples that are dedicated to Banashankari, Basappa, Gajina Basappa and Hanuman. There is an ancient Lingayati Temple near the railway station. Annigeri has seven mosques and two Lingayati Mathas.
History of Annigeri
Annigeri was an important political and cultural centre in the past. Many kings like the Chalukya dynasty, Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri and the Hoysala Empire annexed the town, which once formed part of the kingdoms of the Kalachuris.
Annigeri comes under the core area of Western Chalukya architectural activity in the modern Karnataka. The Amruteswara Temple is the finest examples produced by the Kalyani Chalukyas (Western Chalukya Architecture).
In the year 1157 the Kalachuris under Bijjala II captured Basavakalyan and occupied it for the next twenty years, forcing the Chalukyas to move their capital city to Annigeri in the present-day Dharwad District. To provide education at the primary and Vedic levels, Annigeri had five Brahmapuris.
Tourists Attractions of Annigeri
Amruteshwara Temple was constructed in the Dharwad District in 1050 CE with in the mould of Dravidian Architecture, and was the first temple made of soapstone.
The large and black stone Amruteshwar Temple is in the Kalyani Chalukyas style. The temple has a roof supported by 76 pillars and carvings of mythological figures on its walls. The Amruteshwara Temple was to be the prototype for later, more articulated structures such as the Mahadeva Temple (Itagi) at Itagi. Based on the general plan of the Amrtesvara Temple, the Mahadeva Temple was built in 1112 CE and has the same architectural components as its predecessor. There are, however, differences in their articulation.
Many other temples are also seen at Annigeri, such as:
* The Banashankari Temple
* The Gajina Basappa Temple
* The Hire Hanuman Temple
* Puradhireshwar Temple
