Karnataka elections: Yelburga Assembly constituency

"Yelburga is a Taluk in Koppal district is 397 kms from state capital Bengaluru towards South. Built in 1112 CE, Mahadeva temple is one of the major attractions in the city. It is built based on the general plan of the Amruteshwara Temple at Annigeri.

The temple was built in by Mahadeva, a General (Dandanayaka) of the Western Chalukya king Tribhuvanamalla Vikramaditya VI and praises the temple as 'Devalaya Chakravarti'. This temple can be said to be one of the best in the country both in magnificence of its architectural style and luxuriant decorative detail. The temple, which faces east consists of a shrine with an ante-chamber, and a closed hall.

There is also a pillared hall which is supported by 68 pillars, out of these 26 are large ones standing on the floor and forming the main support for the roof. The remaining, which are shorter, stand on the stone bench surrounding the hall. The large columns are of different designs, but are arranged symmetrically with regard to the shape and pattern of each. The four central ones, very rich in design, have angular carvings. The Mahadeva temple at Itagi dedicated to Shiva is among the larger temples built by the Western Chalukyas and perhaps the most famous. Inscriptions hail it as the 'Emperor among temples'.

Here, the main temple, the sanctum of which has a linga, is surrounded by thirteen minor shrines, each with its own linga. The temple has two other shrines, dedicated to Murthinarayana and Chandraleshwari, parents of Mahadeva.

Basavaraj Rayaraddy of Congress won against Achar Halappa Basappa of BJP with a margin of 16,900 votes."

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