page_title: Banashankari Amma Temple
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Banashankari Amma Temple / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Banashankari group of temples photo taken in 1855
context_page_description: Banashankari Devi Temple is a Hindu shrine located at Cholachagudd near Badami, in Bagalkot district, Karnataka, India. The temple is popularly called Banashankari or Vanashankari since it is located in the Tilakaaranya forest. The temple deity is also called the Shakambhari, an incarnation of the goddess Parvati.
  The temple attracts devotees from Karnataka as well as the neighbouring state of Maharashtra. The original temple was built by the 7th century Badami Chalukya kings, who worshipped goddess Banashankari as their tutelary deity. The temple celebrates its annual festival called Banashankari jatre, in the months of January or February. The festival comprises cultural programmes, boat festival as well as a Rath yatra, when the temple goddess is paraded around the city in a chariot. Banshakhari is a form of Maa Shakambhari deviWhose temple is located in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. It is also known as Shaktipeeth Shakambhari Devi. There are statues of Bhima, Bhramari, Shatakshi and Ganesha along with mother.
context_section_description: Historians have dated the original temple to the 7th century AD - the Kalyani Chalukya period to Jagadekamalla I in 603 AD (according to epigraphic inscriptions) who installed the image of the goddess. The present refurbished temple was built in 1750, by Parusharam Agale, a Maratha chieftain.
  It is also said that the original temple was in existence even before the reign of the Chalukyas who gave royal favour to the beliefs of the Vaishnava, Shaivaite, Jain and Shakta religious orders. They worshipped Banashankari as a form of Shakti, their Supreme Goddess. Epigraphic inscriptions mention that Jagadekamalla I renovated the temple with several additions. Another inscription in Kannada language on a pillar located on the northern side of the temple dated to 1019 AD, describes the bravery of the Rashtrakuta king Bhimadeva. The Deepa Stambas (lamp pillar) are seen at the entrance to the temple; the construction of these, as per an inscription, are ascribed to the warrior Ketimayya.
caption: A complete view of Banashankari temple complex in 1855
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