Humcha/Hombuja
is a small village near Ripponpet, Hosanagara taluk in Shimoga district in the
Indian state of Karnataka. Hombuja Atishaya Jain Teerth Kshetra is famous for
being home to an ancient temple of Goddess Padmavati, and to the Humbaj Matha
(seminary/monastery), an important institution of the Jain community. This
temple is considered to be very holy and is known for its cultural and
historical heritage.
Other notable highlights of the place are a lake that reputedly never dries up and a tree that likewise always remains green.
The History of this region is also associated with Santara or Bhairarasa dynasty. Santara or Bhairarasa is the name of a medieval ruling dynasty of Karnataka, India.
Jinadatta Raya, a Jain prince from Mathura in Northern India was the supposed founder of the dynasty. He is said to have migrated to the town of Humcha with an idol of the Jain deity Padmavati, laying the foundation of the kingdom in Humcha. The area covered by their kingdom included territories in the Malenadu region as well as the coastal districts of Karnataka. The dynasty founded by Jinadatta appears to have split into two branches by the 12 century C.E. One branch being stationed in Hosagunda of Shimoga district and Kalasa in the Western ghats, chikkamagalur district. Gradually these branches (or only the Kalasa branch) shifted their capitals to Keravashe (14 km north-east of Karkala) and Karkala both in the old South Canara district. Hence the territory they ruled was also known as the Kalasa-Karkala kingdom.