Key Facts about Barakuru

About Barakuru:

• Barakuru, also known as Barkur, is an ancient historical port town located in Udupi district, Karnataka.
• It is situated on the banks of the river Sita.
• The place was called by several names in ancient times as Varakula, Barakanur, and Barahkanyapura.
• History:
  • The port town was a busy commercial centre almost from the 2nd century B.C.
  • Evidence of Megalithic and Mesolithic ages has been discovered recently.
  • The maritime port enjoyed massive economic prosperity, trading extensively with foreign nations across the wide Arabian Sea.
  • The Alupa rulers converted this commercial centre into a political centre by making it their capital during the 10th-11th centuriesD.
  • It led to further development of socio-economic activities. With new vigour the city became the heart and hearth of the Tuluva culture.
  • In later times, the city became the provincial headquarters of the Hoysalas and then the Vijayanagara Empire. The city was expanded with a new fort during this period.
  • Further, Barakur witnessed the rule of Keladi Nayaks, Haider, and Tipu of Mysore and the British.
• The city had ten extensions called Keris–each being named after its professional residents. Each Keri had a tank and a number of temples.
• The town's main attractions are the temples with typical tiled roofs.
  • It once housed an incredible network of exactly 365 temples. The deeply pious Alupa kings strictly visited one unique temple each day of the entire calendar year.
  • The Panchalingeshwara Temple situated at the southern end of the town is the most famous among the temples here.
• Barkur was also a Jain settlement in the ancient days.
• The place abounds with history and has yielded a little over 100 stone and several copper plate inscriptions.
  • They belong to the Alupa, the Hoysala, the Vijayanagara, and the Keladi periods.