Saundatti (kannada ಸವದತ್ತಿ )(also known as Sugandavarti and Savadatti) is one of the oldest towns in Belgaum district in the south Indian state of Karnataka. It is a celebrated pilgrimage centre located 78 kilometres from Belgaum. Saundatti is taluk headquarter of same name. Previously Saundatti taluk was known as Parasgad. There are several ancient temples in Saudatti.

History

The historical name of the Savadatti (Saundatti) was Sugandavarti. It was the capital of Ratta dynasty (During 875-1230), later shifted to Belgaum.

• In 12th - 13th centuries, Belagaon (Belgaum) was the capital of Rattas, the chieftains of Saundatti. Belgaum fort was built by Bichiraja (Ratta Dynasty) in 1204.
• Rashtrakuta or their relatives shaped several kingdoms, Ratta dynasty is one among them.
• Rattas of Saundatti accepted the overlordship of Taila II (A.D. 973-977).
• At Belgaum fort, Two of its pillars have Kannada Inscriptions in Nagari Scripts, one inscription of 1199 belongs to Ratta King Kartaveerya IV.

The Rattas (Rashtrakutas) of Saundatti

• In one of the inscriptions related to Rattas of Saundatti it is mentioned that Krishna III having appointed Prithvirama as a chief feudatory had dignified the Ratta dynasty of Saundatti.

• The rattas of the saundatti, who were used to represent themselves as lords of the Lattaluru (present day Latur), could have represented their ancestor as Manyakheta pua var adhisvara if they wanted to avoid Lattalura pura var adhisvara.

Inscriptions

• At Saundatti, Jain inscription slab written in Sanskrit and Kanarese (Kannada)^[7]

of Krishna Rashtrakuta, Shaka 797(c. 875 A.D), and Vikramaditya, Shaka 1017 (c. 1095 A.D).

• At Saundatti, in front of the Western Chalukya style Ankeshwara temple, there is an inscription carved into the wall by the Ratta Chief Ankarasa.

Jainism

• Rattas of Savadatti are Jains by religion.
• In 11th century A.D. Rattas of Saundatti and their provincial governors were great patrons

of Jainism.Kartivirya's son, a Jain saint Munichandra a minister to Laksmideva and a teacher, and has the title of Acarya, the founder of Ratta-rajya.

• Savadatti has 2 small Jain basadis of Ratta times.

Tourism

18th Century Savadatti fort was built by the Sirasangi Desai with 8 bastions. Savadatti fort has a Kadasiddheshwara temple, surrounded by four bastions. Around the Kadasiddheshwara temple in the inner chajja of the prakara there is a row of beautiful carvings of geometrical patterns with over two hundred designs, some painted.

Renuka Sagara

Renuka sagara is a reservoir for the Malaprabha River adjacent to Saundatti, formed by the Navilatirtha Dam. The name Renuka sagar because of the famous Renuka (Yallamma) temple Yallammagudda Saundatti.

Yallammagudda

The temple of Goddess Yellamma is a popular pilgrimage site for Shakti devotees. Every day, hundreds of pilgrims visit the temple with great devotion. The congregation is especially large, crossing the ten lakh mark on two auspicious days Banada Hunime and Bharathi Hunime. The century-old temple of Yellamma is situated atop Yellamagudda, amidst picturesque Ramalinga Hills about 5 km from Savadatti. Between Savadatti and the temple is the magnificent fort of Parashghad, dating back to the 10th century.

Navilatirtha

The Renukasagara, formed by the Navilatirtha Dam touches the low-lying areas of Saundatti. There is a spot called Jogulabhavi here, where there is a temple. Pilgrims take a holy dip here before visiting the Yellamma Hill. This Samādhi is in the area called Ramapur at Saundatti, which is humming with religious activities.

Savadatti Temples

The town has temples dedicated to Ankeshwara, Puradeshwara, Nagarkere Mallikarjuna, Veerabhadra, Ulvi Basavaeshwara, Mouneshwara, Dyamavva and Venkateshwara, which is the largest.

Puradeshwara temple

The Puradeshwara temple in the later Chalukya style is a trikutachala with three ardhamantapas, a common navaranga and two mukhamantapas.gurlhosur chidambar temple is also thair a hiatorical temple, All three garbhagrihas with pierced windows have shivalingas. The shikhara, now damaged, over the central garbhagriha is in Kadambanagara style and the navaranga pillars are lathe-turned. Inside the niches of the navaranga are images of Parvati and Veerabhadra. This temple has been renovated very crudely. On the day of Ugadi, the rising sun's rays fall directly on the main shivalinga. The outer walls have fine sculptures depicting Hndu mythology and there are inclined chajjas all round. The open mukhamantapa, a later addition, is also in the same style with massive pillars.

Ankeshwara temple

The Ankeshwara temple in Desaigalli, built by Rattas in 1048 is in the Western Chalukya style and is below the ground level. There are steps descending to the mukhamantapa. In front of the temple, there is an inscription carved into the wall by the builder, Ratta Chief Ankarasa.

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