Banashankari Temple

The Banashankari Temple is dedicated to Goddess Banashankari, an incarnation of Goddess Parvati. It is situated in the town of Amargol, which lies on the route between Hubli and Dharward and is easily accessible by the connecting road network. Legends The origin of the name Banashankari is an interesting short story. It is said that the people of earth were being tortured by the presence of a demon named Durgamasura who wreaked havoc on the earth. The people and devas, no longer able to withstand the demonic menace, pleaded to Goddess Parvathi to relieve them of their suffering. Parvathi descended down to earth and slayed the demon, freeing the people. In her slaying form, she was referred to as Vana Shankari, the Forest Goddess. Over time, her name later came to be called Banashankari. Goddess Banashankari is hugely popular in Karnataka. So much so that there are many temples dedicated to her in the region and even a prominent locality of the city of Bangalore came to be called Banashankari. In and around the temple The temple is an excellent example of Chalukyan architecture and is said to date back to the 12th Century. The temple itself sits on a raised platform and consists of two shrines; one for Goddess Banashankari and other for God Shiva who is depicted as the omnipresent linga. The temple houses many fine carvings and figures of Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu, Narasimha, Ganapathi, Brahma and other Gods all around. However, time and neglect have taken their toll on its beautiful architectural design. The temple was taken over by the Archeological Survey of India and restorations are taking place at a rapid pace to recover its past glory. Rituals The festival of Shivarathri in the months of February to March is a celebrated at this temple.