Balligavi art gallery

Balligavi , is a town in Shikaripura taluk of Shivmoga district. Its an ancient town with various names such as Baligrama, Dakshina Kedara, Valliggame and is well -known for ancient sculptures and idols.

Balligavi was an important city during the 11th – 12th century Western Chalukya rule. The term Anadi Rajadhani (ancient capital) used in medieval inscriptions to describe this town

Archeologically Balligavi dates back to Satavahana -Kadamba era of ancient history[4th- 5 th century A.D. The earliest inscription mentioning the name Balligavi is a 685 CE Badami Chalukya inscription.

Myth

It is believed that Pandavas of Mahabharatha [epic] visited Balligavi during their vanavasa [ forest sojourn] period and installed shiva linga ,more precisely panchalinga and the seity of the temple later established here is known by the name panchalingeswara.

kedareswara temple of Balligavi is a hoysala chalukya architectural temple which includes the art gallery in its premises .

The art gallery displays very ancient idols and sculptures which are the vestiges of the bygone era. Many of these sculptures are broken.

The gallery also has numerous paintings which delineate the history of Sreekedareswara temple.

The art gallery displays idols & sculptures of ancient era . The sculptures describes the Hindu god shiva ,Ganapathi, devi parvathi or Durga. Kedareswara temple is a pilgrim centre where main deity is Mahadev or Shiva . The archeological gallery is located within the temple premises on the left side.

The art gallery and temple is protected by Archeological survey of India. Sculptures and idols are displayed as two sections inside and outside the art gallery. Paintings of ancient Kedareswara temple & many huge sculptures are found inside the art gallery building .

Numerous ganapathi , devi durga idols in stone are placed outside the art gallery building in an ancient Mandapa like structure which seems to be part of the Kedareswara temple. This stone construction has no roof over it . Many sculptures and parts of this mandapa are in a dilapidated condition. However the temple and art gallery built in Hoysala architectural style hasn’t lost their splendor and magnificence.