Heritage Sites

Bellary Fort: Situated withinside the anciental town of Ballari, the Ballari Fort is constructed on pinnacle of Ballari Gudda or Fort Hill. The castle is assumed to had been constructed in the course of Vijayanagara instances through the Palegar leader Hanumappa Nayaka. Hyder Ali took ownership of the castle from the Nayakas in 1769 and were given it renovated and changed with the assist of a French engineer. Legend has it that the engineer turned into hanged, for overlooking the reality that the neighbouring Kumbara Gudda turned into taller than Ballari Gudda, accordingly compromising the secrecy and command of the castle. His grave is assumed to be placed close to the East Gate of the castle, aleven though a few locals consider it to be the grave of a Muslim holy man. Visit the illuminated castle withinside the evenings and watch the beyond come alive.

Sanganakallu: The Sanganakallu-Kupgal region is an historic archaeological web website online and the excavations right here had been dated to the Neolithic period, among 5,000 and 10,000 years ago. The Sanganakallu-Kupgal region is the region of one of the oldest village settlements found in Asia. The excavations are cantered round 4 hills which have proven proof of inhabitation in the course of the Neolithic period. Archaeologists have found that the region turned into a huge middle for the manufacturing of stone equipment and implements in addition to etched stone seals and inscriptions. The region additionally gives the possibility to view rock artwork, historic burial mounds, and precise ringing stones.
Siruguppa: The call Siruguppa means “pile/ heap of wealth”. On a castle right here, stands an antique temple devoted to Lord Shambhulinga which is assumed to be the oldest temple right here.

Religious Places

Bommaghatta (T. Sandur) is a small indoors that has an antique temple of Hulikuntiraya (Anjaneyaswamy) which attracts devotees now no longer simplest from the Ballari district however additionally from the neighbouring districts.

Chellagurki (T. Ballari) is a village l6 km from Ballari on Ballari-Anantapur road, which has end up famous as a consequence of the Jiva Samadhi of Yerri Tata. This exquisite saint got here to Chellagurki withinside the yr 1897 and lived right here until his loss of life in 1922. He is credited with having completed numerous miracles. Pilgrims from all around the State go to the Samadhi of Yerri Tata, particularly on new moon days and at the event of the yearly automobile competition held in his honor. Facilities for accommodations and boarding had been furnished for the pilgrims.

Dammur (T. Ballari): is set 17 km from Dammur Ballari town. It is widely recognized for its cave temple and the Samadhi (tomb) of Venkappa. An annual truthful is held right here.

Hulikuntiraya Temple, Bommaghatta: Bommaghatta is domestic to an antique temple of Hulikuntiraya (Lord Hanuman) that is pretty famous with devotees from Ballari and neighboring districts.
Kotturu: Kotturu is a metropolis in Ballary district famous for Samadhi (very last resting place) of Basappa Lingaswamy (additionally referred to as Kotra Basappa or Kotturaswamy). The Samadhi is a big stone shape with a couple of painted stone pics. Kotrabasappa Temple, integrated reminiscence of the saint, is an crucial landmark in Kotturu. Kottur is 102 km from Ballari.

Kurugodu: Home to a cluster of 9 temples courting lower back to the twelfth century AD. Sangameshwara temple, Siddeshwara Temple, Mallikarjuna Temple, and Ujjaleshwara Temple are most important ones.

Mailara: Mailara, additionally referred to as Mannetti Mailara is a middle of worship withinside the Ballari district. Mailara Lingeshwara Temple is constructed in Mailara in honour of Lord Shiva. Kumaraswamy Temple and Parvati Temple, Sandur: Sandur is first-rate for 2 historic Hindu temples which might be placed withinside the equal compound, and are each covered monuments. The well-known of the 2 is the Kumaraswamy Temple (11-12 century), believed to be the primary home in South India of Lord Kumaraswami (Karthikeya) that is picturesquely located at the wooded slopes at the top of a ravine. The photo of the deity is manufactured from black stone this is protecting a membership in his hand and beside him stands his vehicle, the peacock. To artwork historians, the Parvati Temple placed nearby (7th-eighth century) is greater uncommon in phrases of Hindu temple architecture. There are exceptional figures of divinities withinside the temple and lots of well-done pics positioned on pedestals withinside the indoors of this temple.

Tambrahalli: Home to Ranganatha Temple and a stepwell.

Wildlife

Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary: Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary is the primary Sloth Bear Sanctuary in India and Asia, declared solely for the safety and conservation of the Sloth Bear. Daroji Bear Sanctuary is unfold over 82.7 rectangular km Sightings from machans are generally prepared withinside the evenings as those bears are in general nocturnal. Home to a huge quantity of free-ranging bears; the sanctuary additionally has hyenas, wild boars, pangolins, porcupines, jackals, and leopards. Other denizens consist of supermegacelebrity tortoise, reveal lizard, and rock agama. A force thru the scrub jungle additionally gives possibilities to sight endemic species of birds consisting of the painted spurfowl, yellow-throated bulbul, sand grouse, stone curlew, and peafowl. Located at the brink of the Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary is a assets of Jungle Lodges & Resorts which gives accmmodation centers and safari rides.
Gudekote Sloth Bear Sanctuary:Gudekote Sloth Bear Sanctuary is the second one Sloth Bear Sanctuary in India and Asia, declared solely for the safety and conservation of the Sloth Bear. It is located withinside the Kudligi and Sandur taluks of Ballari and is unfold over a complete region of 167.fifty nine sq. km Apart from Sloth Bears, it’s also domestic to Leopard, Small Civet Cat, Palm Civet Cat, Jungle Cat, Jackal, Indian Grey Wolf, Indian Fox, and Striped Hyena, etc. The Sanctuary additionally nourishes crucial medicinal flora and herbs.

Tourist Attractions

Daroji (T. Sandur) is located approximately forty eight km from Sandur and approximately 28 km from Toranagal, related each via way of means of bus and train. It is satisfactory recognised for the massive tank close to it. This tank, that is stated to were constructed via way of means of Tipu, has been built via way of means of throwing a large dam, approximately and a 1/2 of miles lengthy and in locations forty five ft high, throughout a valley thru which flows the Narihalla. In May 1851, the tank breached in locations, and the mass of water that rushed out destroyed the antique village of Daroji. The gift village (New Daroji) become constructed later on. The tank now irrigates a massive quantity of land. Excellent fish are stuck in it and despatched to the Ballari market.

Kampli (D. Ballari): is a city mendacity 33 km northwest of Hosapete and 22 km from Kamalapura. Until 1851, this village become the headquarters of what’s now Hosapete taluk, which become then called Kampli taluk. It has been an vital region because historic days. It become a Chalukyan capital in 1064 and the Cholas had as soon as conquered it. Later, it’s far stated via way of means of Ibn Batuta as one of the strongholds of the authentic chiefs of Anegondi and still, later, it become a type of outpost of the town of Vijayanagara. Its citadelress, that is constructed of the darkish rock observed domestically withinside the mattress of the Tungabhadra, stands on the brink of the river. It is stated to were constructed via way of means of one of the Palayagars of Ballari. ThePETA , that is out of doors the citadelress, is likewise similarly crowded. The streets in it are pretty narrow.

The first-rate heroes, Kampala Raya and his son Kadugali Kumara Rama, died preventing the invading Muslim forces. Kampli previously had a weaving industry. It additionally produced jaggery from the sugarcane grown on its wetlands and become additionally referred to for wood-carving and manufacture of toys. Kappagallu (T. Ballari): is a village 12 km northeast of Ballari and approximately 4 kilometers from Moka Ballari road. The granite hill inside its limits is called thePeacock Hill. This call is stated to were given to the hill because it become thehome of numerous peafowls withinside the olden days. The hill is now mainly noteworthy as containing the stays of an in depth pre-anciental settlement. There are 3 ash mounds located on the foot of the hill. Such mounds observed in a few locations withinside the northern a part of this State and Andhra Pradesh were ascribed to the Neolithic age via way of means of a few scholars. Kenchanagudda (T. Siruguppa): Ramanadurga is a hill station close to Sandur city and approximately 20 kms from Hospet.

The Trigonometr) is a village at the financial institution of the Tungabhadra, approximately six km southwest of Siruguppa. The region consists of forts, a decrease citadelress wherein maximum of its population used to are living previously and an top one at the pinnacle of the rock known as Kenchanagudda, which offers the village its call and on which Kenchana Gowda, a nearby chief, had his mansion. After leaving behind the decrease citadelress, the populace moved indoors to a distance of approximately a mile from the river. At the foot of this rock is the temple of Gangadhara. Built into its southern wall, is a protracted inscription, dated withinside the yr 1708, giving the family tree of Kenchana Gowda and declaring that he constructed the temple and the top citadelress. According to this record, he had 3 sons, of whom one Virupaksha accompanied him because the chief. This latter, who become known as Pampapati, become succeeded via way of means of his widow Tangamma, whose call is famous withinside the locality. She is stated to have narrowly escaped seize via way of means of Tipu Sultan on one occasion.

A tale is instructed approximately the quit of her rule, in line with which she had sons, who had been each captured via way of means of Tipu. One become murdered and the opposite become transformed to Islam. Fearing that this convert might prevail her, it's far stated, she remodeled her ownership to the East India Company, in trade for a lifestyles pension. The region has the cave of Siddha Malaysia., a saint, with a Kannada inscription close to it. The village additionally consists of a Vrindavana (tomb) of a disciple of the well-known saint Raghavendraswami of Mantralaya. Kundalini (T. Ballari):is a big village, 20 km west-north-west of Ballari, and is at the railway line among Ballari and Hosapete. Two Rashtrakuta inscriptions dated withinside the years 947 and 971 A.D. have been determined right here, the latter citing the setting. up of an picture of Skanda (Kumaraswamy). Three offers of the Western Chalukya king, Vikramaditya VI, and certainly considered one among Jagadekamalla of the identical dynasty, belonging to the eleventh and l2th centuries, have been additionally observed right here. These regularly mention “the woodland wherein Subramanya (Kumaraswami) sat in penance”. There are inscriptions belonging to the Hoysala and Vijayanagara intervals additionally. There have been determined additionally stones sculptured with figures commemorating nearby heroes, except a sati stone.

East of the village, there may be a line of black rocks shaped via way of means of the out-crop of a entice dyke. Some 5 km from Kundalini, to the north of the byskip main to Toranagal, via the low-mendacity line of hills going for walks down from the Copper Mountain, is determined a curious ash-mound, the starting place of which gave upward push to tons speculation. (The nearby humans name the spot” Boodikanive (ash-byskip) or” Boodigunta” (ash-hill). Kudatini is one of the facilities of blanket-weaving withinside the district. Very high-quality and high-priced blankets are made right here.

Siruguppa: The call Siruguppa possibly means ” pile of wealth ” and is well-earned via way of means of it attributable to its wealthy wetlands watered via way of means of the channels from the river. On a bastion of the castle right here, stands an vintage temple of Shambhulinga, the oldest temple of the area. The temple of “Kotturu Basavanna” is a current shape with a conspicuous gopura. It became constructed in 1887 via way of means of a wealthy nearby merchant.

Sandur: The district of Ballari possibly conjures up pix of dust, mining, and sizzling warmth in a tourists mind. However, one specific area right here makes you sense like withinside the cool environs and greenery of the Western Ghats on this district – Sandur. The excessive altitude of Sandur, positioned round 900 meters makes for a nice weather and wealthy biodiversity of vegetation and fauna. The round forty eight km stretch of the spindle-formed Sandur Hill variety begins offevolved from the TB Dam in Hosapete Taluk and ends at Swamihalli in Sandur Taluk. This lengthy and tall mountain variety performs a crucial position in impacting the weather of north-japanese Karnataka. The woodland kind on this spindle-formed hill variety is absolutely special from the surroundings of the plains of the Deccan Plateau. Narihalla, the lifeline of Sandur, leads to a dam constructed close to Taranagara. Such became Sandurs herbal splendor that even Mahatma Gandhi in his go to to this area at some stage in the 1930s, so enamoured via way of means of its splendor, quoted “See Sandur in September”.Sandurs panorama additionally receives carpeted with the Neela Kurinji (a shrub particularly observed withinside the forests of the Western Ghats) blooms which occurs as soon as in 12 years. Patches of purplish-blue plants bedecks those hill tiers of Sandur taluk and had been attracting nature fans and botanists. The closing bloom occurred in 2017. The presence of Neela Kurinji is going to expose the wealthy biodiversity in Sandur forests. Historically, it became the capital of the Sandur State, a small principality, dominated via way of means of the Ghorpade kings. And as in keeping with legends, it's miles stated to had been additionally referred to as Skandapuri (which means metropolis of Skanda or Lord Kumaraswamy, whose temple is located nearby).

Sandur is likewise well-known for the eighth Century Parvathi Temple constructed via way of means of the Chalukyas. The fauna and avian lifestyles observed right here also are clearly remarkable. Today, it's miles domestic to leopards, Sloth Bears, wolves, jackals, Four-horned Antelopes, etc. The Sandur Valley and its surrounding place have extra than two hundred resident and migratory birds. The citizens encompass the uncommon Yellow-throated Bulbul together with Orange-headed Thrush, Red Spurfowl, Puff-throated Babbler, White-throated Fantail, Blue-capped Rock Thrush, Tickells Blue Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, etc. It is certainly a birders paradise. Thorangal: Thorangal is a village in Ballary district, at the banks of the Tungabhadra river, 31 km from Ballari metropolis. Daroji lake, Jagadguru Renukacharya Ashrama, and Daroji undergo sanctuary are near Thorangal.

Yemmiganur (T. Ballari), located at a distance of approximately forty six km farfar from Ballari, has the samadhi of a high-quality saint referred to as Jade Tata. Kurugodu (T. Ballari): is a village located at a distance of 28 km from Ballari on Ballari-Siruguppa avenue and lies near below the jap quit of Kurugodu hills which can be conspicuous from Ballari to the north-north-west. It is a ancient location. Inscriptions display that as a long way returned as the start of the 7th century, it shaped part of the possessions of the early Chalukyas of Badami. Later, below the Chalukyas of Kalyana, it turned into the leader city of the Ballakunde-three hundred division. About 1185, it turned into additionally for a while a house of the Western Chalukya kings. It turned into decreased in 1191 via way of means of the Hoysala king Ballala II. Much later, Kurugodu turned into one of the forts withinside the ownership of Palayagar Hanumappa Nayaka mentioned below Ballari. The gift village and the citadel have been constructed via way of means of Devappa, a descendant of Hanumappa Nayaka, in 1701-02. Haidar Ali took this location in 1775 and possibly progressed the citadel. The fort at the pinnacle of Hanumanta hill and the decrease citadel is attached via way of means of a direction up the hill, included at durations via way of means of round bastions. At the western quit of the village, is the temple of Basaveshwara with a conspicuous current gopura. Within it's miles a big Nandi or Bull of Shiva, that is a monolithic sculpture, approximately l2 toes in top.

Attached to the temple, is what is thought asNilammas matha held in extraordinary esteem. Nilamma turned into the daughter of a resident of Sindigeri, 5 miles east of Kurugodu, who lived throughout Haidar Ali`s rule. She is stated to have led a totally virtuous lifestyles and is credited with having completed miracles. There are numerous viragals withinside the village. On the web website online of antique Kurugodu, there also are 9 antique temples forming one organization and a 10th status on my own on the alternative aspect of the Hanumanta hill. All those temples were built of granite with out using mortar. The inscription in certainly considered one among them, dated 1175-seventy six A.D., mentions its erection via way of means of a merchant. The architectural component of those temples has been handled in Chapter II.

Moka (T. Ballari): the headquarters of the Hubballi of the identical call, stands at the financial institution of the river Hagari and is at a distance of approximately 17 km from Ballari city. There is an agricultural farm right here, and a big region of land has been delivered below irrigation. The Malleshwaraswamy temple right here draws numerous pilgrims, specifically throughout the auto festival.
Ramanadurga (T. Sandur): is a hill station at a distance of approximately sixteen km from Sandur city and approximately 20 km from Hosapete city. The Trigonometrical Station right here is at a top of 3,256 toes from sea level. (A comparable station at Sandur is at a top of 1,815 toes from sea level). On all of the aspects of this hill station, the floor falls sharply, for that reason affording extremely good perspectives into the Sandur valley on the only aspect and over the western taluks on the alternative. The location receives its call from the village and the citadel of the identical call, which stands at the southern quit of the plateau. There are stays of the antique citadel, withinside the shape of partitions of huge blocks of stones. According to a nearby tradition, it turned into constructed via way of means of Prince Kumara Rama of Kampili, a extraordinary hero. The Ramadeva temple right here is stated to be named after Kumara Rama (who have been hidden on this region for a while via way of means of Minister Bychappa Nayaka to shop his lifestyles). This is showed via way of means of an inscription determined on the location.

Though it isn’t always a cutting-edge record, it without a doubt states that a temple turned into erected in reminiscence of Ramanatha Odeya (i.e., Kumara Rama) via way of means of his admirers in appreciation of his very best sacrifice. The epigraph is dated withinside the Shaka 12 months 1450 whilst Krishnadeva Raya turned into ruling. The gift temple of Ramadeva, wherein this inscription turned into determined, is mentioned to were rebuilt out of the ruins of an older temple the only mentioned withinside the inscription. During the Second World War, military devices have been stationed right here.

A clinic turned into constructed right here to nurse wounded infantrymen. A medical institution installation right here turned into used in most cases for the gain of infantrymen and Europeans and later closed. There turned into a handicrafts schooling middle right here throughout 1943-44.