Banavasi
Banavasi nestles deep in the forests of the Western Ghats, on the border of Uttara Kannada and Shimoga districts. This temple town is located on the Vardha River, and is known for its rice, sugarcane, arecanut, spices, and the famous Banavasi pineapple. This is where the eminent poet Pampa wrote his poems. It was the capital of the Kadambas, the first kingdom of ancient Karnataka. The Madhukeshwara Temple, famed for its architecture, derives its name from the honeycoloured lingam in the inner sanctum of the temple. An imposing Nandi faces the linga. Banavasi is also included in the Rural Tourism Project by the Ministry of Tourism, India with the purpose of promoting rural tourism.
