Trip2India

About 40 kms from Hubli-Dharwad. Saundatti is one of the oldest towns and celebrated pilgrim centre and headquarters of the Parasagad tq. The placename is repeatedly found mentioned as Sugandavarti and also Savadatti. The place has temples dedicated to Ankeshwara, Puradeshwara, Nagarkere Mallikarjuna, Venkateshwara[hugetemple], Veerabhadra, Ulvi Basavaeshwara, Mouneshwara and Dyamavva. The Puradeshwara temple in later Chalukyan style is a trikutachala with three ardhamantapas, a common navaranga and two mukhamantapas. All the three garbhagrihas with pierced windows have Shivalingas. The navaranga pillars are lathe turned. Inside the niches of the navaranga are images of Parvati and Veerabhadra. On the Ugadi day, the rising sun’s rays directly fall on the main Shivalinga. The outer walls have fine sculptures depicting Hindu mythology and there are inclined chajjas all round. The open mukhamantapa[a later addition] is also in the same style with massive pllars.

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