Karnataka, with its rich history and architectural grandeur, is home to numerous ancient temples that reflect the glory of past dynasties like the Chalukyas, Hoysalas, Rashtrakutas and Kalamukhas. These temples, scattered across the state, are often nestled in quaint villages, some well-preserved and others at risk of being encroached by time and development. With just a weekend at hand, I decided to explore a few of these hidden gems in and around Haveri district. The temples of Naregal, Bankapur, Balambeed, Hanagal, Bandalike, Tilavali and Balligavi were my primary focus. Here’s a glimpse of my journey through Haveri’s temple towns. (The only regret for this trip was losing all my photographs and videos. I lost my phone during another journey and unfortunately, I hadn’t backed up my previous trips. Since almost 80% of my photos were taken on my phone, most of those memories are now lost. Thankfully, I did manage to find a few snaps from my camera. Maybe, in a few years, I’ll return to relive the experience and capture those lost memories once again).

Day 1: A Late Night Departure & Arrival at Haveri

Leaving Mumbai on the night of 20th September 2024, we boarded the 09:30 PM train from Dadar Terminus to Haveri. The train ride was long and by the time we reached Haveri at 01:30 PM the following day, we were ready to hit the ground running, albeit a little tired.

Haveri, being a small town, didn’t have many options for hotels. After going through online reviews, I opted for Narmada Residency, a reasonably priced hotel with decent amenities. The AC room cost us around INR 2,000 and the location was perfect for our travels. We took an auto rickshaw from the station to the hotel for INR 130 after some bargaining (original fare was INR 150). Once checked in, we didn’t waste much time. We had decided to wear Saree for one of the day, so for this half day trip, we continued with Sari option and got ready to explore.

We hired the same auto driver to take us to Naregal and Bankapur, two temples about 12 km apart. After some negotiating, we settled on INR 1,000 for the round trip, cutting down the original price of INR 1,500. With only a few hours before dusk, we had to hustle.

Sarveshwara Temple at Naregal

Our first stop was Sarveshwara Temple in Naregal, a small village that was once known as Nareyamgal. Thanks to Google Maps, we were able to locate the temple with ease. The temple is set near a small lake, though it was somewhat isolated and the entrance gate was locked. We had to climb over the gate to get in with our Saris. It was a task but we managed well.

The most unique feature of this temple is its slanting roof—a rare architectural trait. The temple comprises a mandapa (hall), an antarala (vestibule), and a garbhagriha (sanctum). Unfortunately, the garbhagriha door was locked, but we did spend some time admiring the Saraswati sculpture draped in a sari, as well as the half-pillars supporting the slanted roof. Scattered around the temple were a few herostones, inscribed slabs and other sculptures, adding to the historical significance of the site.

After soaking in the serene surroundings, we headed for Bankapur.

Rangaswami Nagareshwar Temple at Bankapur

Just 12 km away, Bankapur welcomed us with its historical Rangaswami Nagareshwar Temple, also known as the Aravattu Kambhada Basadi or the Sixty Column Pillar Temple. We were stopped at the Bankapur Fort gate and told to walk the remaining 1 km to the temple. The walk was scenic, with stony stairs leading to the Bankapur Fort viewpoint, though we opted to skip that in our rush.

Along the way, we passed a small Hanuman temple and were greeted by peacocks roaming in the fields—an unexpected and beautiful sight. Finally, we reached the Rangaswami Nagareshwar Temple, a large structure known for its architectural splendor.

This Jain Basadi has a vast open mandapa (hall) that connects to a navranga (open porch) through a small corridor. The mandapa is encased by low parapet walls and benches. Externally, the temple is carved with miniatures of nagara tower. The temple’s pillars are beautifully carved, but it’s also evident that some parts of the structure have seen better days. There are two broken windows on either side of the entrance. Historians suggest that this temple may have originally been a Shiva temple under the Kalamukha sect.

After spending some time at the temple, we retraced our steps and returned to Haveri.

By the time we were back in Haveri, it was dark and we were famished. We had a hearty meal at Restaurant Panjurli, a local eatery, below Hotel, that served a great mix of traditional South Indian food.

The next day’s itinerary was packed—we had to visit around 14 temples in total. To save time, I booked a cab through a local tour and travel service to take us around for the whole day. The cab was charged at INR 11 per km for a total of 300 km, a fair deal given the extensive travel involved.

Stay tuned for the continuation of this journey as we explore even more temples in Karnataka’s Haveri district on Day 2!