Lakshmeshwar

Lakshmeshwar is a town in Gadag district in Karnataka. Laxmeshwar is an agricultural trading town located in Gadag District of Karnataka state, India. The city has religious background as well, Shiva and Jain followers from time immemorial have settled here. A historic and beautifully sculpted stone temple is here for the god Shiva called Someshwar Temple.



The previous name of Laxmeshwar is Puligere (The pond of tigers).

Someshwara Temple

The most important monument at Lakshemshwar is the Someshwara temple complex (11th century). The temple complex with three main entrances is surrounded by high walls look like a fort. It is a splendid specimen of Chalukya architecture.

In middle of the temple complex, there is a Someshwara temple, surrounded by many small temples mainly dedicated to Shiva, along the compound wall, built with granite, some halls in the complex meant for resting devotees.

Someshwara temple with the traditional structures of a temple includes a garbha griha, an ardha mantapa or halfway hall, a navaranga and a mukha mantapa or entrance porch.

The Nandi and Shiva Parvati idols in the temple are exquisitely sculpted. These idols are referred to as Saurashtra Someshwara, as these idols were brought by a Shiva devotee from Saurashtra and installed at Lakshmeshwara.

Ananthanatha Basadi

Ananthanatha Basadi is a jain temple built in AD 1250, which is in the middle of the town. This Basadi is an example of the Chalukya style of architecture. The idol of Ananthanatha, one of the 24 Thirthankars, is installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine.

Shanka Basadi

Of the two historical Jinalayaa at Lakshmeswar, the more famous is Sankha Jinalaya, also called Sahasrakuta Jinalaya, in the BastiBana area. This takes back the history of Lakeshmeshwara to the 8th century; though the temple is in Chalukya style it has undergone many modifications and renovations.

Neminath the 22nd Jain thirthankara, is the presiding deity of this Jain Basadi.

Basadi, which consists of a Garbhagriha, a large Ardhamandapa, larger Mahamandapa and a Rangamandapa.