STATES AND UNION TERRITORIES OF INDIA
KARNATAKA
Shravanabelagola
Shravanabelagola,
an ancient Jain pilgrimage centre is situated about 95 kms from Mysore,
157 kms from Bangalore and 52 kms from Hassan. It is nesltled between
the Indragiri and Chandragiri Hills. The Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta Maurya
retired to Shravanabelagola along with Bhadrabahu, a disciple of Lord Mahavira
around 300 B.C to become a Jain ascetic, after handing over his kingdom
to his son Bindusara. Thus, Jainism became popular in Karnataka during
that period. There are some 500 inscriptions in Shravanbelagola recording
the slow death by starving of the Jain ascetics.
A 58 feet tall
monolithic statue of Lord Gomateswara stands atop the Indragiri hill.
Gomateshwara , a Jain saint was so deep in his meditation, that creepers
started entwining his legs. This monolithis statue is also depicted with
creepers around the limbs.
Gomateshwara
was a Jain prince, Bahubala who had to fight a fiery battle with his brother
to defend his kingdom. But he was dejected and upset at the tremendous
loss due to war, gave up his kingdom and retired to meditate in peace and
attained nirvana.
The giant statue
of Gomateshwara was erected in 983 AD by Chamundaraya, a general and minister
of the Ganga King, Rachamatta, by the sculptor Arstameni. The spectacular
ceremonial worship of the Lord takes place once every 12 years - Mahamastabhishekam,
when the statue is bathed with pots of milk, honey, curd, rice, coconut
milk, ghee, sugar, almonds, saffron, coins, turmeric powder, vermillon,
dates, bananas, by priests who climg a special structure raised for this
purpose near the statue.
There are some
Jain temples (Bastis) and Jain mutts in the smaller Chandragiri hill.
The most important among them is the Chandragupta Basti built by Emperor
Ashoka (grandson of Chandragupta). There are eight beautifully carved
idols, with semi-precious stones here.
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