Junje Gowda is the legendary builder of the Male Mahadeshwara temple in Kollegala taluk of Chamarajanagara District. He was a local land lord belonging to the Kuruba Gowda community and a devotee of Shri Mahadeshwara Swamy.
Legend
Legend has it that Lord Mahadeshwara visited the house of Junje Gowda, a wealthy landlord of the Kuruba Gowda caste and a devotee of the god Beredevara. There he performed miracles to convince Junje Gowda of his power and in the end won Junje Gowda to his following. Junje Gowda is said to be responsible for all the temples built in the mountainous region of eastern Karnataka called the Mahadeshwara Hills. but the junje gowda family is still living the village called kadamboor, in hanur taluk. chamarajangar district.
References
Junje Gowda Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA