Basrur, further inland from Gangolli was a more prominent place being mentioned even in the writings of 13th century traveller Ibn Battuta.

These despondent refugees purchased large portions of land from individual residents and also directly from the Keladi Vassal Sadashiva Nayaka under whose patronage they cleared forested areas to accommodate themselves.

The prominent among the newly formed institutions then was the Venkataramana temple which is popularly known as Malyar Matt of Gawd Saraswat Brahmins (GSB) which undoubtedly facilitated the development of the locality.

However, in and around Gangolli the relationship and inter-dependence between the local rulers and their new enterprising subjects was deepening by the day especially after the Keladi Nayaks staked claim to independence in 1565.

[5] It is believed that the first church in South Kanara came up on the Gangolli Bunder around 1560 which was in effect just a prayer hall without a tabernacle as there was no priest around there at the time.

By the year 1654 he managed to push the Portuguese back and reclaim now a fortified Gangolli and Honnavar then also called Onore.

By 1680 Gangolli had lost out to Mangalore as a preferred trading port due to the fact that even large seafaring vessels could go into the broad and up to 17-fathom-deep Netravali River and load rice.

During the British administration, Gangolli grew into an important commerce and export centre with business connections to Bombay, Kerala, Gujarat, the Middle East, Lakshadweep and Tanzania.

[5] On one occasion in 1697 however, a fleet of Arabs from Muscat went on a rampage damaging temples and sacking areas from Gangolli, Kundapur to Basrur when they were refused royal permission to set up a factory there.

Fr Michael Noronha constructed St Joseph Primary and Stella Maris Girls’ High School.