History – Lakkundi is a place of complex temple archietecture.The place is also know by the famous ‘Danachintamani Attimabbe’. She santified the place here by here patronage for Kannada literature and Jain religion. Her’s is a historical name in the history of karnataka.
Lakkundi is also called as LokkiGundi in the inscriptions.The Brahma jinalaya was constructed by Attimabbe. She was the beloved wife of Nagadeva who was the chieftain and soldier of Chalukya King Ahavamalla. She was also the mother of Ahniga Masavadi who was ruling Lakkundi for some time.She sheltered the poet KaviRanna. Brahmajinalaya stands as the testimony of the high rank in the karnataka Archietecture and sculpture. Attimabbes great devotion, generosity, excellence and other virtues are well portrayed in this temple. Brahmajinalaya has awell fastened Mukha mantapa. and the court hall proped by central pillars decorated with beautifully carved dancers. The garbagudi holds the idol of Vardhamana Mahavira tirthankar. More than all the cylindrical sculptor of Chaturmukha Brahma and Lordess Saraswathi temples attract the piligrims and the art lovers to the heart’s content.
A Shaiva temple called Nagaradeva was once a Jain Basadi. Parshwanatha idol on the pedestal had been replaced by a Shivalinga, with the hood of the snake being left in situ.Lakkundi is also a treasure house of many important inscriptions like the temples as well with Lakkundi having as many as 50 temples and 29 inscriptions.The inscriptions of the Kalyana Chalukyan king Irive Bedanga narrates in its two stanzas of ‘Ajithanatha Purana’ the details of the construction of the Brahmajinalaya by Attimabbe and the donations. Also there are the inscriptions of the Kalachurya King Sovideva(1173 A.D.) which tells about the donation of gold to a Basadi by a person called Gunanidi Keshava. The other two inscriptions of Kalyana Chalukya Somashekara VI (1185 A.D.) and another one of 12th century are also of equal importance. The former reveals the contribution of donation for conducting Ashtavidharchana. The latter mentions about the donation of land to Tribhuvana tilaka Shantinatha. an inscription mentions about the then existing Mulasangha Devanga sect of Jain saints.
How to Reach – Lakkundi is situated at a distance of 12 Kms from Gadag and Gadag is 68 Kms from Badami and 59 kms from Hubli.Good lodging and boarding facilities are available at Gadag.
Main Deity – 3 feet high idol of Bhagwan Vardhamana Mahavira.