India: Banavasi,one of the oldest town of Karnataka
Banavasi It has grown up around the Madhukeshwara Temple built in the 5th century and dedicated to Shiva the supreme God in Shaivism, a major branch of Hinduism.
5th-century copper coin was discovered here with an inscription in the Kannada script, one of the oldest such coins ever discovered.Adikavi Pampa, the first poet of Kannada, wrote his epics in Banavasi.
The town once was the capital of the Kadamba rulers, an ancient royal dynasty of Karnataka. They established themselves there in A.D. 345 and ruled South India for at least two centuries.
As the first capital of the Kadamba dynasty, it invites travellers to explore its ancient past while enjoying its peaceful environment: the Madhukeshwara Temple is the main attraction, the town and its surroundings are home to many hidden gems.
By Rani nurmai – http://coinindia.com/galleries-kadambas-banavasi.html, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15237211
