The shrine to the south has a linga called Brahma and the shrine to the north has a statue of Janardhana Vishnu. The entrance on the sides is a Western Chalukya idiom. The temple faces east and has a stepped entrance on three sides. This is an excellent example of a trikuta 'triple towers' temple in a transitional Western Chalukya-Hoysala architecture.

Balligavi is also the birthplace of Shantala Devi, queen of Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana. Balligavi is also famous as the birthplace of the great Virashaiva saint Allama Prabhu and is closely associated with Vachana poet Akka Mahadevi who was born in nearby Udugani also known as Udutadi. The Pandavas came here while on their Vanavasa forest sojourn and installed the Panchalinga five lingas hence the name Panchalingeswara to the well known temple here.

Legend has it that Balligavi was the capital of an Asura king demon and hence was called Balipura city of Bali. Today, Balligavi is a quiet town much of whose daily routines revolve around agriculture and the famous 11th century Kedaresvara Temple and Tripurantakesvara Temple. Records also indicate that an ancient University existed here. The Kedareshwara matha belonging to the Kalamukha Shaivas and the Kodiya matha was well known and had the patronage of the Hoysala emperorsmarking the place as one of religious activity. The mathas belonged to ShaivasVaishnavasJainas and Buddhists. The golden age of Balligavi was during the rule of the Western Chalukya Empire during the 10thth centuries. Important Kadamba inscriptions like the Talagunda inscriptions, near Balligavi have been collected by the Archaeological Survey of India. Archaeologically, Balligavi dates from the Satavahana - Kadamba era and the Chaturmukha linga four faced linga here is in that style. A place of antiquity, it is known for its ancient monuments. Dakshina Kedara means Kedarnath of the South.

Balligavi a town in Shikaripura taluk Shivamogga district of Karnataka state, Indiais today known as Belagami or Balagame.

Basavanna life history in kannada pdf