Kaginele Development Authority (KDA) had taken up excavation work in April at Bada, the birthplace of Kanakadasa to find historical evidence of his life. A team of archaeologists from Shimoga unearthed an ancient palace belonging to the 16th century Vijayanagar Empire at Bada in Haveri district.

Archaeologist S G Samak and his team including KSIDC AEE Jagadish, journalist Sripad Bichchugutti Srinivas and research scholar of Kuvempu University, Srinivas unearthed the structure belonging to Vijayanagar period at Bada village about 6 km from Bankapur.

History reveals that Thimmappanayaka, who later got the name Kanakadasa was a chieftain under Vijayanagar Empire and ruled about 78 villages. The place excavated at Bada is said to be the palace where Kanakadasa lived with his parents Beerappa and Bachamma, before he took spirituality.

It took nearly 40 days round the clock to unearth a huge structure measuring 40x40 metres. The main structure was damaged when the villagers constructed the Ranganath temple on the mound in 1960s.

According to Samak, the structure has a portico, a large hall, royal bedroom, kitchen and other structures built with bricks and black stone. A few copper and one silver coin (Arab script), glass and ivory bangles, beads, earthenware, and other interesting objects were also found. Lingas and terracotta pipes were also found at the site.

"Till now we found that the palace had a main entrance from the southwest and exits at both north and east side. As the structure is at an elevation, it may belong to a ruler," said Jagadish.
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