The Western Gangas sovereignty lasted from about 350 to 550 CE, initially ruled from Kolar as their Capital City.
The founder of the Western Ganga dynasty was Konganivarman Madhava, who built Kolar as his capital around 350 and ruled for about twenty years.
It was once known as Avantika - Kshetra, a sacred place in Kolar district in Karnataka State.
In about AD 890, its earliest grant relates that Tribhuvana Kartara Deva, who held the title of Kali Yuga Rudra, ruled over the Avaniya Thana for 40 years.
The legend goes further to establish that Seetha Devi, after being sent to exile, gave birth to her twins Lava and Kusha at Avani.
The hill to the west of Kolar called the Shatasringa Parvata or 'Hundred-Peaked Mountain' is 'Antharagange', associated with the story of Parasurama and his fight with King Kartaviryarjuna over Surabhi, the divine cow.
In the temple is a pond which gets a continuous flow of underground water from the mouth of a Basava (stone bull).
To the north is the Kodikannur tank, the main source of water supply to the city.
[7] Kolar is part of Morasu Nadu, where Kannada, Telugu and Tamil languages and cultures blend.
[8] The municipality covers an area of 18.3 square km and is divided into 35 wards, each represented by a councillor.
[11] The executive wing has 8 departments: engineering, health, revenue, town planning, finance, birth and death, election and day-NULM.
Kodikannur tank in the north of the city is its main source of water supply.
[16] In 2017, it was reported that non-clearance of garbage by the municipal council had caused unhygienic conditions in the city.
Kolar also has a local transportation facility " Antaragange Kolara Nagara Sarige" which was inaugurated in July 2012 but Govt has stopped this services and utilising these buses for rural areas.