Stepped Walls of Karnataka
About the Place
The stepped walls of Gujarat are famous across the globe. However, there are a number of stepped walls in Karnataka ALSO. Santhebennur which is near Davanagere (37 kms from Davanagere and around 280 kms from Bengaluru).
What to See
Santhebennur Pushkarni is said to be the biggest in Karnataka with a length and breadth of 300 feet and it is 80 feet deep. There are small mantaps in all the eight directions. The highlight among all the mantaps is a bigger tower called Vasantha Mantapa towering 50 feet high.
The place was founded in 16th Century by Basavapatna family. Hanumappa Nayak, one of the chiefs, erected a palace and also constructed Pushkarni in front of Ranganatha Temple, with ornamental pavilions at the angles and in the center in 1658 AD.
Ranadullah Khan, a sergeant of Bijapur Sultan defeated Nayaka and destroyed the temple but Nayaka won it back and rebuilt it. Now, the Pushkarini is maintained by Archaeological Survey of India and locally known as Honda. Those who visit the place can also visit Rama Temple that is also known for its architectural splendor that was inaugurated by Maharaja of Mysore many years ago.
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