Nagarabasti

About 2 km away from Bangaramakki, you will come across Nagarabasti village, which was a prominent religious center during Saluva rule. Many basadis were built in and around this place though very few have survived the onslaught of time. One would find it an exciting experience to unravel the influence of Jains on the commerce and administration of this region as well as their links with the Vijayanagara Empire, as there are stone tablets and other records to vouch for the same.

While most of the above basadis are under the Archeological Survey of India, the temple of Jwalamalini Devi, a very powerful Yakshi in the Jain pantheon, which was considered as very sacred by the Saluva dynasty, continues to be in use even today. The idyllic setting makes you forget everything else; the peace & quiet will prompt you to believe that you could spend the rest of your life here! It is certainly an experience worth seeking.

Few of the Basadi ruins that remain today are the Chaturmukha Basadi, Neminath Basadi, Mahavira Tirthankara Basadi, Parshwanath Basadi and Jwalamalini Basadi. These basadis were built during the period of Rani Chennabhairadevi and the manasthambhas were constructed by Ambana.

Nagarabastikeri in fact lies upstream from Bangaramakki. Within the short distance, you will get to trace the curves of the graceful Sharavathi, with every turn revealing yet another breathtaking vista of the Valley. Travel by any means is the only way to be humbled by the magnificience of Nature.

Downstream of Gerusoppa, Bangaramakki is perhaps the first prominent river crossing point as well as the place from where one could sail all the way down to Honnavara. My destination this time however was Nagarabasti, a small hamlet significant for the presence of Jain basadis that cement the relationship between Jain rulers of the yore and Sharavathi Valley.