Jain pilgrimages in Karnataka
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SHRAVANABELAGOLA
Shravanabelagola is one of the most important Jain tirth (a sacred place) of the Jains in South India. It is a place of great importance from the point of pilgrimage and also archeological and religious heritage. The place derives its name from the point that Shravana or Shramana means a Jain ascetic and Belagola or Biliya Kola means white pond.
Shravanabelagola is well-known for its senic beauty as well as for its religious sanctity. The two hills, the tank between, and the entire surroundings of Shravanabelagola are so enchanting and pleasing that they invariably attract the attention of all kinds of persons. The place is also important from the view of the regions history. Shravanabelagola flourished and cherished in the background of royal patronage and enjoyed the supremacy of religious fervour. The place was the key centre for all the activities of Jainism. It was more a religious capital than the political arena. It laid down the firm foothold for the spread of Jainism throughout south India. It was the sun shore for the propagation of religion to every nook and corner of society. Religion was an inducing factor influencing the effect of religion. It has played a pivotal role in the political history of Karnataka. The kings, samanthas, chieftains and palegars have ruled the place with valour and religious fragrance.
The ensuing pages in this section will try to focus on the history, heritage and other details of Shravanabelagola.
Location
Shravanabelagola is situated in 12°-51' north latitude and 76°-29' east longitude. 13 Kms to the south-east of Channarayapatna in the Channarayapatna taluk of Hassan district of Karnataka state. It is at a distance of 51 KM south-east of Hassan, the district centre. It is situated at a distance of 12 Km to the south from the Bangalore-Mangalore road (NH-48), 78 Kms from Halebidu, 89 Kms from Belur, 83 Kms from Mysore, 233 Kms from Mangalore and 157 Kms from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. It is well connected with State Highways and District roads.
Route
Shravanabelagola is at a distance of 51 KM south-east of Hassan, the district centre. It is situated at a distance of 12 Km to the south from the Bangalore-Mangalore road (NH-48), 78 Kms from Halebidu, 89 Kms from Belur, 83 Kms from Mysore, 233 Kms from Mangalore and 157 Kms from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. It is well connected with State Highways and District roads.
All roads to Shravanabelagola pass through Channarayapatna and as the traveller drives through this place, he observes a conspicuous hill a few miles to the south east bearing on its summit what appears at first sight to be a column, but which on drawing nearer proves to be a colossal statue in the human form. This striking and unusual object, the image of Gommateshwara which is visible for miles around marks the site of Shravanabelagola. The chief seat of Jains in South India, probably from the earliest authentic period of Indian history.
Train Facilities
The train facilities are under way and are expected to start functioning by the year end. It will further facilitate the connections with the major junctions such as Arasikere and Bangalore. The visitors and pilgrims can reach Shravanabelagola through Arasikere and Bangalore through Chan
narayapatna.
Reach By Air
Bangalore and Mangalore are the two nearest destinations connected by Air. Bangalore is well connected with all the major cities of India and quite well connected with the globe. The airport at the port city Mangalore, is connected with some of the major cities of India.
Shravanabelagola: The name
Shravanabelagola or the white pond of the Sravana or the Jain monk is so named with reference to the colossal Jain image of the place and its prefix Shravana also serves to distinguish it from other Belgolas with the prefixes Hale and Kodi. The derivation of the word 'Belagola' appears to have been from the two Kannada words Bel (white) and Kola (pond) in allusion to the beautiful pond in the middle of the town. The Sanskrit equivalents Sveta-sarovara, Dhavala sarovara and Dhavala-saras used in the inscriptions support the derivation of this word from the two Kannada words.
Some inscriptions mention the name of the place as Belgula, Belugula and Belagula, which have given rise to another derivation from the plant, white gulla (Solanum ferox) in allusion to a tradition which says that a pious old woman completely anointed the colossal image with the milk brought by her in a gullakayi or gulla fruit. The place is also designated as Devara Belagola (Belgola of the God) and Gommatapura (the city of Gommata, the name of the colossus) in some epigraphs. Further, the epithet Dakshinakasi or southern Kasi is applied to it in some modern records.
History
About eight hundred odd inscriptions which the Karnataka Archeological Department has collected at the place are mostly Jaina and cover a very extended period from 600 to 1830 A.D. Some refer even to the remote time of Chandragupta Maurya and also relate the story of the first settlement of Jains at Shravanabelagola. That this village was an acknowledged seat of learning is proved from the fact that a priest from here named Akalanka was in 788 A.D. summoned to the court of Himasitala at Kanchi where having confuted the Buddhists in public disputation, he was instrumental in gaining their expulsion from the South of India to Ceylon. At the time of the conversion of Vishnivardhana Hoysala to the Vaishanava faith by the reformer Ramanujacharya it is wrongly alleged that the Jains suffered much persecution, but in reality their influence at the court continued practically unabated. Differences between the Jains and Sri Vaishnavas existed, but a compromise was brought about in the time of Bukkaraya of Vijayanagar which resulted in a declaration of toleration which was inscribed on stones and set up in public places.
The place abounds in inscriptions, some of the most interesting of which are those cut on the floor of the rocks on Chandragiri in purva-Halagannada characters several inches long. For purposes of history there are numerous inscriptions giving details of great importance relating to the rise and growth in power of the Ganga kings, the death of the last of the Rashtrakutas, the establishment and expansion of the Hoysala kingdom, the supremacy of the Vijayanagar Empire and lastly the reign of the Mysore Royal House. In addition, these inscriptions have helped us to a great extent in understanding the nature and growth of Kannada language and literature.
Shravanabelagola town
Shravanabelagola occupies a unique and prominent place as an abode of innumerable Jain temples of Digambara sect in south India since 5th century. In addition to its archeological and religious importance the artistic and antiquarian richness of the place has merited it immensly. It has derived its name Belagola from two Kannada words bel means white and Kola means pond. The name Belagola is been found in an inscription of A.D. 650 and also A.D. 800. Hence the word Shravanabelagola means the place of white pond where in Shravanas or Jain ascetics live. It is a picturesque place lying between two rocky hills Indragiri and Chandragiri. It is situated about 13 Kms from Channarayapatna taluk of Hassan district. Shravanabelagola abounds in inscriptions denoting Ganga, Rashtrakuta, Hoysala, Vijayanagar and Mysore Wodeyars reign of the place. The shrines, canopies, monuments, tanks, Nishadi stones, manasthambhas and other relics of the past have incessantly carved the message of Jainism through out the land from time to time.
It has enjoyed both the royal patronage and the common-folk alike. These have been maintained in good state and preserving heritage. Hence it is reckoned as one of the flourishing centre of Jain pilgrimage. Further more the historians, art lovers and research sacholars are see thronging at the place very frequently. The near by places such as Kambadahalli Jinanathapura and Halebelagola also bear the testimony as the satellite centers of the religion. The temples are beckoned with cultural niche in terms of tradition of sculpture and architecture. The temples situated on the top of Indragiri and Chandragiri Hills, in the township and around Shravanabelagola narrate the history of the place in a lucid way. These are built mainly out of granite stone available in the place. Where as the temples constructed during the Hoysala period are mainly soap stone.
Kalyani
Bhandari Basadi
Akkana Basadi
Nagara Jinalaya
Mangai Basadi
Panchaparameshti Basadi
Jain Mutt
CHANDRAGIRI
The smaller hill known locally as Chikkabetta rises about 175 feet above the plain and is 3,052 ft above the level of the sea. In the old inscriptions it is designated as Katavapra in Sanskrit and as Kalvappu or Kalbappu in Kannada. A portion of this hill is known as Tirthagiri and Rishigiri. With the exception of one shrine, all the basadis on the hill are enclosed in a walled area. Almost all the temples are built in the Dravidian style of architecture, the oldest of them going back probably to the eighth century A.D. Altogether the number of the temples in the walled area is fourteen and their plans are mostly similar to one another.
Badhrabahu Cave
Kuge Brahmadeva Pillar
Inscriptions
Shanthinatha Basadi
Bharateshwara
Mahanavami Mantapas
Parshwanatha Basadi
Manasthambha
Kattale Basadi
Chandragupta Basadi
Shasana Basadi
Majjigana Basadi
Chandraprabha Basadi
Suparshwanatha Basadi
Chamundaraya Basadi
Eradu Katte Basadi
Savatigandavarana Basadi
Terina Basadi
Shanthishvara Basadi
Iruve Brahmadeva Temple
Kanchina Donne
Lakki Donne
INDRAGIRI
The larger hill known as Indragiri or Doddabetta rises about 470 feet above the plain at its foot and is 3,347 feet above the sea level. It is ovoid in shape, its long diameter being pergaps a quarter of a mile. It is also sometimes designated Vindhyagiri. A flight of about 700 steps cut in the granite rock leads up to the summit. The entire area of the Vindhyagiri hill has been divided into two parts by a heavy wall at some distance around The antiquities are described in this section in the order in which they occur as one goes up the hill.
Brahmadeva Temple
Chauvvisatirthankara Basadi
Chennanna Basadi
Odegal Basadi
Tyagada Brahmadeva Pillar
Akhandadvara
Siddhara Basadi
Gullakayajji
Gommateshwara Statue
Erection Of Gommata
Description Of Gommata
Art Of Gommata
Mahamasthakabhisheka
Chouri Bearers
Mantapa
Enclosure
Boppanna Inscription
JINANATHAPURA
It is situated about a mile to the north of Shravanabelagola. This village was founded by Ganga Raja, the general of the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana, in about A.D. 1117.
Shanthinatha Basadi
The main temple of the place is the Shanthinatha basadi. It was built by Vasudaika Bandhava Rechimayya who made it over to Sagaranandi Siddhanta Deva in the year A.D. 1200. He was the first minister of the Kalachurya king. But latter on he was placed under the protection of Hoysala King Ballala II. This temple is a fine specimen of the Hoysala style of architecture. It consists of a cell, a vestibule and a hall built over a star shaped adishtana. The well carved image of Shanthinatha, the 16th Tirthankara, is seated on a lion pedestal. It is about 5' 6" high. The garbhagriha is guarded by two dwarapalakas. The navaranga has elegantly executed pillars adorned with beaded work. The ceilings are also of good workmanship of art. The niches of the navaranga are now empty. The outer walls have a row of large images, some in an unfinished state, consisting of Parshwanatha, Suparshwanatha and other Jinas, Yakshas (Dharanendra and Sarvahna), Yakshis (Padmavathi, Chakreshwari, Ambika, Vajrashrunkala and Ananthamathi), Brahma, Saraswathi, Manmatha, Mohini, drummers, musicians, dancers, etc. This temple was renovated by Paleda-Padumanna in A.D. 1632.
Aregal Basadi
It is so called as the structure is built on a Are (a rock). It is built mainly from brick and mortar by Hiri Aechimayya (Aechana) the son of Barma. Barma was the brother of Gangaraja. He also built a temple at Koppal (or Kopanachala in Northern Karnataka) and the Shanthinatha temple on Chandragiri at Shravanabelagola. The original image of Parshwanatha of this temple suffered mutilation and was found lying in the bed of the tank near by. In its place a seated marble image of Parshwanatha was installed in 1889 A.D. for the spiritual welfare of Bhujabalaiah a resident of Belagola. Also seen in the temple are the idols of Navadevata, Panchaparameshti, Nandishwara and Chaturvimshati. An inscription of the memorial stone erected by the wife and mother of Aechanna in his memory is found near the entrance.
Samadhi Mantapa
The village has also an inscribed Jaina tomb measuring 5' X 4' generally known as the Samadhi mantapa. But it is designated in the inscription as Silakuta or stone house. It was erected to commemorate the death of the son of Balachandradeva in 1213 A.D., due to severe fever. He was also a disciple of the royal guru Nemichandra Pandita. Also seen are the memory stones of Charukeerthi Panditacharya (A.D. 1643) of Belagola and also Devakeerthi Pandita (A.D. 1163) the Jain ascetic.
Kambadahalli
The name of the village Kambadahalli is derived from the lofty Jaina pillar that stands near its north west corner. The pillar is one of the most elegant in the state and has an image of seated Brahma yaksha on its top. To the west of the pillar stands a group of 7 shrines which are perhaps some of the oldest Jaina monuments of importance in the state. These appear to have been constructed in at least three stages and to have undergone repairs from time to time. They are almost completely built of granite.
Adinatha temple
Adinatha temple is an earliest structure and is a cross shaped trikutachala possessing three Garbhagrihas. It has open sukanasi common navaranga with a porch of two ankanas, the entire group facing north. The sikharas are of various shapes, the east one being round, the north one square and the west one octagonal. The different faces of each of these is embellished with floral decoration and contains an arch in the centre. Each of these shikaras again is bulbous.
These shikaras rise on a griva or neck which is well shaped and is ornamented with pilasters. On the top of the shikara is carved a lotus. But the Kalasha appears to be missing. The pinnacles of these temples are very attractive, built in the Vesara, Nagara and Dravida style of architecture, this kind of architecture cannot be found in the whole of South India. The probable date of its construction is 900 A.D.
The inner view of this temple is comparatively plain except for the sculptured images installed in it. The central or southern cell has on a simhapitha an image of Adinathaswami of soapstone. The east cell contains an image of Neminatha of granite seated on a simhapitha and having two male chamara bearers. In the west cell is seated Shanthinatha carved of granite, bereft of his simhapitha and with chamara bearers in each corner.
About ten feet in front of the porch of the Trikutachala is a pair of twin temples built facing each other and generally similar in character to the central shrine of Adinatha in the Trikutachala. There appears to have been a compound wall enclosing these five shrines collectively known as the Panchakuta Basadi.
About twenty feet to the north of the compound wall of this temple is another large temple dedicated to Shanthinatha Tirthankara measuring 12 feet high. The temple was built by Boppa, the son of General Gangaraja. The friezes of the basement is ridden with horses, elephants, wild lions and yalis. This frieze is one of great interest, its workmanship being superior to that occurring in any Hoysala temple.
The building has no towers. Boppa, son of Ganga Raja, the famous General of Vishnuvardhana, may have got this temple constructed. The period of this basadi is probably the early part of the 12th century A.D. The Bhattaraka peeta that was redundant for more than 300 years was revived in 1998 with Swasti Sri Bhanukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji as the pontiff. Inscriptions at Kambadahalli indicate that more than 9 Bhattarakas of the Digambara ascetic order have adorned this peetha. There is a legendary record that once there were more than 72 Jain temples at this place. Archeological sources confirm that Kambadahalli was previously known as Kambapuri.
Halebelagola
The village of Halebelagola is at a distance of about 6.5 Kms to the north of Shravanabelagola. The Jinalaya in the Hoysala style of architecture consists of a garbhagriha, an open sukhanasi, a navaranga and a porch. The plinth is supported at the corners and other places by figures of elephants. The outer walls are decorated with pilasters and shallow niches.
The central ceiling of the navaranga is beautifully carved with a standing figure of Dharanendra holding bow and conch under a five hooded canopy in the centre and the ashtadikpalakas (regents) around. There are two chauri bearers lying mutilated in the porch and a headless Jina figure in the navaranga. The temple was built in 1094 A.D. The village appears to have had more temples at one time as evidenced by the waste weir of the tank close by which is mostly built of the architectural members of old temples and also by the existence of a number of loose sculptures around the pond in the middle of the village.
