Halsi Jain Idol
Halsi (Belgaum District, Karnataka), March 10, 2012: Several statues and pots dating back 900 years to the time of the Kadamba rulers, have been excavated from the historic village of Halsi, near Belgaum by the Department of Archaeology, which chanced upon them while working on conserving the Teerthankara Basadi. Besides a statue of Teerthankar, that was found damaged, other statues and pots of the Kadamba period have also been recovered, according to sources. The Kadambas, who ruled Khanapur region 900 years ago, are believed to have buried a lot of their valuables underground. At least 30 Basadis, including the Teerthankara Basadi, are said to have been constructed at Halasi by them. Over the years, several Basadis disasppeared.
The department of archaeology began to take steps to conserve the Teerthankara Basadi in response to local demand. Secretary of the Basadis Development Committee, Vinod Doddannavar, has taken the lead in preseving most of the historic monuments. A famous Shiva templewas recently renovated as part of this effort. The government, which has released Rs 25 lakh for development of the damaged structures, has declared a 200 square metre area around the historic town as protected. – News & Photo Courtesy: Deccan Herald