Shravanabelagola is a small town located in the Hassan district of the state of Karnataka, India. It is known for its historical and religious significance as it is home to the Jain pilgrimage site of Shravanabelagola, which is considered to be one of the most important Jain pilgrimage centers in the world.

Gommateshwara Statue: The main attraction of the town is the 57-foot-tall monolithic statue of Gommateshwara Bahubali, which is considered to be one of the largest monolithic statues in the world. The statue is carved out of a single block of granite and is located on top of Vindhyagiri Hill.

• Vindhyagiri Hill: The hill is home to several Jain temples and shrines, and offers panoramic views of the surrounding area.
• Chandragiri Hill: Another hill located near Shravanabelagola, which is home to several Jain temples and shrines and offers a panoramic view of the surrounding area.
• Jain Matha: An important Jain institution located in the town, which houses several Jain manuscripts and artifacts
• Akshaya Vat: A sacred banyan tree, which is believed to be over 2,500 years old and is considered to be a sacred site for Jains.
• Rishabhanatha Basadi: a Jain temple located on the Vindhyagiri Hill, which is dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha.
• Parshwanatha Basadi: A Jain temple located on the Chandragiri Hill, which is dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, Parshwanatha.
• Archaeological Museum: A museum that houses several Jain artifacts and sculptures from the town and the surrounding area.
• Jain Food: The town is famous for its Jain food, which is prepared without the use of onion and garlic, visitors can try local dishes such as Ragi Mudde and Jowar Roti.
  
  
  

Shravanabelagola is a small town in Hassan District of Karnataka State. It is one of the most impressive and important Jain pilgrim centers in India. Shravanabelagola is located at an altitude of 3350 feet above sea level in between the Indragiri (Vindhyagiri) and Chandragiri hills. The town of Shravanabelagola is known for its scenic beauty as well as for its religious sanctity.

A small water tank midst Shravanabelagola town is called "Belagola" in the Kannada language, "Bel" means white, and "kola" means the pond, an allusion to the beautiful pond in the middle of the town. Shravanabelagola reached a high point in architectural and sculptural activity under the patronage of the Gangas of Talakad. Shravanabelagola has more than 500 inscriptions.

You can easily walk between the major attractions in Shravanabelagola. Shravanabelagola town has the Jaina matha with very old paintings on its walls. There is also a Sanskrit Patashala to study Sanskrit and Shastras. Shravanabelagola has 28 Jain temples that are spread across the town and the two hillocks Indragiri and Chandragiri. Regular poojas are conducted by the Jaina priests appointed by the Jain Mutt at all the temples as per Jain rituals.

Indragiri Hill - Lord Gommateshwara Statue

Indragiri hill is also known as Doddabetta or Vindhyagiri hill. Lord Gommateshwara or Bahubali statue is located above Indragiri hill. The monolithic statue of 57 ft (17.37 meters) height Bhagavan Gomateshwara Bahubali is considered to be the largest monolithic stone statue in the world.

The Statue of the Lord Gommateshwara is installed by the Ganga Kingdom General Chavundaraya in 981 A.D. The base of the Bahubali statue has inscriptions in Kannada and Tamil, as well as the oldest evidence of written Marathi. The inscription praises the Ganga king who funded the effort, and his general Chavundaraya, who erected the statue for his mother.

Beautifully carved, single-block nude stone sculpture of Lord Gommateshwara is in the posture of meditation known as Kayotsarga, symbolizing renunciation, self-control, and subjugation of ego as the first steps towards salvation. The Digambar (nude) form of Bahubali represents the complete victory over earthly desires and needs that hamper spiritual ascent towards divinity.

Indragiri hill is one solid rock and it's 470 feet above ground level. It must be climbed barefoot. There are two sets of 660 steps, one set to go up and one set to come down. Palanquin service is available. Palanquin bearers carry you on a chair.

Vindragiri hill adorns many historical monuments - Siddhara Basadi, Odegal Basadi, Chennanna Basadi, Chauvvisa Tirthankara Basadi, and a finely engraved pillar called Thyagada Brahma pillar.

Mahamasthakabhisheka

Mahamastakabhisheka, the head anointing ceremony of Lord Gomateshwara takes place every 12 years. During this ceremony, the statue of Lord Gomateshwara is bathed with water kept in 1008 kalashas (vessels) collected from almost all the rivers and water resources of the land. During the Mahamasthakabhisheka, the statue is bathed in milk, curds, ghee, and saffron, and is covered in gold and silver coins, flowers, and other offerings. The event is attended by thousands of Jain pilgrims from all over the world. The event also includes religious discourses, cultural programs, and other rituals. The Mahamasthakabhisheka is a unique way of paying homage to the Jain saint Gommateshwara Bahubali and it is considered an important event for Jains. The Mahamasthakabhisheka is held according to the Jain calendar and the exact date is decided by the Jain scholars. The next Mahamasthakabhisheka is scheduled to take place in 2030.

Chandragiri Hill

Chandragiri hill known locally as Chikkabetta, is about 175 feet above the ground. A portion of Chandragiri hill is known as Tirthagiri and Rishigiri. All the temples on this hill are built in the Dravidian style of architecture, the oldest of them is from the eighth century A.D.

The history of Chandragiri hillock dates back to the 2nd Century B.C. There are many inscriptions spread across the hillock. These inscriptions have helped modern scholars in understanding the nature, growth, and development of the Kannada language and its literature. It has also helped me understand the antiquity of Jainism and Shravanabelagola.

The last Shrutakevali, Bhadrabahu Swami, and his pupil Chandragupta Maurya are believed to have meditated in Chandragiri hills. It has memorials of numerous monks and shravakas who have meditated there. Chandragiri also has a famous temple built by Chamundaraya, who was a disciple of Acharya Nemichandra Siddhanta-Chakravarti. Chandragupta Basadi, dedicated to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, was built by Emperor Ashoka. Chandragupta Basadi is the smallest and Kattlae Basadi is the biggest of all the Basadis on Chandragiri.

The Cave of Bhadrabahu, Kuge Brahmadevara Kambha, Shantinatha Basadi, Mahanavami Mantapa, Parshwanatha Basadi, Manasthambha Basadi, Kattlae Basadi, Chandragupta Basadi, Shasana Basadi, Majjigana Basadi, Chandraprabha Basadi, Suparshwanatha Basadi, Chavundaraya Basadi, Yeradukatte Basadi, Savathigandharvana Basadi, Tyerina Basadi, Shanteshwara Basadi and Iruve Brahmadevara Temple are monuments of interest in Chandragiri hills.

A visit to Shravanabelagola will reveal the grandeur and architectural beauty of the distant past and intense devotion to the Jain religion.