Avani is a small village in Mulabaagilu taluk, Kolara district in Karnataka, India, about ten miles from Kolar Gold Fields. The village is located at 32 km from Kolara, the district centre and 13 km from Mulabaagilu, the Taluk headquarters. It is a popular location for rock climbing. Legend Avani is known for the Sita temple situated on a hill. This temple is one of the few temples dedicated to Sitadevi in India. There is a belief that the sage Valmiki, the author of the epic Ramayana, was residing here during the period of Ramayana. Sitadevi lived here in his ashram while in exile. Sitadevi gave birth to her twin children Lava-Kusha here. Even today the room where Sita gave birth to her children exists. The war between Sri Rama and his sons Lava and Kusha happened in this village. The Temple is also visited by a lot of childless couple. It is believed that the childless women has to take a bath in the lakshmana thirtha, then in her wet clothes she has go to the temple with a coconut and pooja ingredients. Inside the temple, she has to sleep and during her sleep she would dream about the goddess, indicating the blessings to fulfill her desires. This hill also has the temple of 'Hari Shresta Maharshi Adi Jambava'. Avani Ramalingeshwara Jatre begins after Adi Jambava Jatre which is celebrated annually before Mahashivaratri festival by Adi Jambava Community of this region. Jambava is attributed to Agra Archana at this place as he is considered as kshetra rakshaka of Avani. Jambavan is also regarded as Maharshi Jambhava,Jambu Maharshi or Jambhava Mahamuni. Jambavan gave Shyamanthak jewel to Lord Krishna. On the same occasion Lord Krishna marries Jambavati the daughter of Adi Jambav. Jambava along with his army constructed Ramsethu. Jambavan is also been associated with Jamthun village in Ratlam tahsil of Madhya Pradesh and Jambuvan Cave of Ranavav Taluk of Porbandar, Gujarat state. Avani is also known as the Gaya of the south and has ancient temples known as the Ramalingeshwara, Lakshmaneshwara, Bharateshwara and Shatrugneshwara, dating back to the period of the Nolamba Dynasty. When Sri Narasimha Bharati IV of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham was on his sancharas, he camped here for a few days. During his stay here, in Avani, he found an idol of Goddess Sharada, in standing posture flanked by Srimajjagadguru Adi Shankaracharya and the Sri Chakra. He