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SHRAVANABELAGOLA
FACTS & FIGURES
Location:
Dharmasthala,
52 Kms from Hassan,
Karnataka, India
Best time
to Visit:
October to March
Significance:
Bahubali, Jain Pilgrimage.
Shravanabelagola
is a city located
in the Hassan district,
in the Indian state
of Karnataka. It
is one of the most
important Jain pilgrim
centers. In Kannada
language, "Bel"
means white and
"kola",
the pond, an allusion
to the beautiful
pond in the middle
of the town. It
reached a high point
in architectural
and sculptural activity
under the patronage
of Gangas of Talakad.
It is a little township
tucked away between
Indragiri and Chandragiri
hills. Its antiquity
dates back to 3rd
century B. C. when
the great Mauryan
Emperor Chandragupta
Maurya handed over
his empire to his
son Bimbisara and
sought the serenity
of Sravanabelagola.
The
Monolithic statue
of Lord Gomateshwara,
a Jain saint and
an object of worship
for centuries, standing
atop one of the
hills (Indragirl
hill), is 17 metres
high and is said
to be one of the
tallest and most
graceful monolithic
statues in the world.
The
Past
There
are two hills Chandragiri
(Chikkabetta) and
Vindyagiri.
The last shruta-kevali
Bhadrabah and his
pupil Chandragupta
(formerly the Maurya
king) had meditated
there. Chandragupta
Basadi dedicated
to Emperor Chandragupta
Maurya was originally
built here by Emperor
Ashoka in the 3rd
cent BC. Chandragiri
also has memorials
to numerous monks
and shravakas who
have meditated there,
since 5th cent CE,
including the last
king of the Rashtrakuta
dynasty of Manyakheta.
Chandragiri also
has a famous temple
built by Chamundaraya,
who was a disciple
of Acharya Nemichandra
Siddhanta-chakravarti.
Pilgrim/Tourist
Attractions in Shravanabelagola
•
Chandragiri
You can see the
Chandragupta Basadi
of the Gangas and
the Parashwanatha
Basadi here, besides
several Jain temples.
There is also a
famous temple built
by Chamundaraya.
•
Indragiri
Indragiri has the
Gommata monolith,
the statue of Bahubali,
said to be the tallest
monolithic structure
in the world. This
statue, the exquisitely
engraved Tyagada
Brahma Pillar, along
with Siddhara Basadi,
Odegal Basadi, Chennanna
Basadi and Chauvvisa
Tirthankara Basadi
was installed by
a Ganga general
and scholar Chamundaraya.
•
Jinanathapura
Shravanabelagola,
this place has the
Aregal Basadi and
the Shantinatha
Basadi of Hoysala
times.
•
Inscriptions
More than about
800 inscriptions
related to Shravanabelagola
are found here,
belonging to the
period before 10th
century. Some of
them are recording
death by starving
(sallekhana) by
Jain ascetics and
laymen.
•
Bhattaraka Math
This Math belongs
to the Desiya Gana
lineage of Mula
Sangha of Digambar
monastic tradition.
Fairs And Festivals
Mahamastakabhisheka:
This ceremony of
the 17.38m high
statue of Lord Bahubali
(Gomateshwar) at
the Indragiri Hills
is celebrated grandly
after every 12 years.
On this occasion,
the statue is smeared
with thousands of
pots of coconut
oil, yoghurt, ghee,
bananas, jaggery,
dates, almonds,
poppy seeds, milk,
saffron and sandalwood.
How
to Reach Shravanabelagola
•
Air: The
nearest airport
is at Bangalore.
•
Rail:
Shravanabelagola
is connected by
rail to Bangalore,
Mysore and Hassan.
•
Road:
Shravanabelagola
is well-connected
by a network of
roads to Bangalore,
Mysore and Hassan.
Buses from Hassan
are frequent.
