Chikki Jain Basadi, Karnataka

Address

Chikki Jain Basadi, Temple Road, Belgaum Fort Area, Belagavi, Karnataka 590016

Diety

Adinath

Introduction

The temple was built earlier in 1204 AD by Bichirja, a minister of Kartavirya IV. The city of Belgaum is located closest to the fort and has well-built air, road and railway facilities. The temple was built inside the Belgaum fort, along with Chikki Basti, which in the present time remains as a ruin. Temples were built inside the fort in the Chalukyan architecture style. Chikki Basadi, in ruins now, was once considered as a “remarkable piece of Jain architecture”. It has a frontage that displays festooned rows of dancing figurines, musicians, and trimmed flowers Chikki Basti is another sanctuary near to Kamal Basti but it is a bit destroyed. sanctuaries have amazing architecture. Apart from this, the surrounding is very peaceful and there is greenery around.

Puranic Significance

The Belgaum fort belonged to the Ratta dynasty from the time it was built in 1204 AD by a Ratta officer named Bichiraja. Belgaum, the city around the fort, served as the capital of that dynasty between 1210 AD and 1250 AD. Rattas were defeated by the Yadava Dynasty of Devagiri, and they briefly controlled the fort. At the turn of the 14th century, the Khaljis of Delhi invaded and succeeded in ruining the indigenous powers of the region – the Yadava and the Hoysalas —without providing a viable administration. This lacuna was made good by the Vijayanagara Empire, which had become the established power of the area by 1336 AD.