Hilltop Temple of Lord Bahubali.
The giant 58 foot statue of Bhagwan Bahubali at Shravanabelagola is housed within the courtyard of the Shravanabelagola Jain Temple atop the Vindhyagiri hill. The statue is the tallest monolithic idol in the world. It is one of the holiest pilgrimage places for the Jain community attracting millions of devotees annualy. The word ‘Shravanabelagola’ literally translates to ‘the white pond of Shravana’ in the local language Kannada. There is a beautiful pond situated at the centre of the town by the same name.
To reach the temple one has to trudge up more than 600 steps from the bottom of the hill. We had to leave our footwear at the stand where the attendant gave us a token on payment of a small fee. There is no other entry fee. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to go up the steps, stopping many times on the way, as the incline is quite steep. It is better to start the trek up early before the sun starts heating up the ground and baking your feet. There are railings along the way, which helped us to pull ourselves up when the legs got tired. The old and infirm should avoid the climb, but there are palanquins available, carried by 4 porters, and they will carry you up for a fee.
The temple is very good, and there are many idols and carvings of the Jain Tirthankaras inside the temple. The statue of Bahubali is the centre of attraction. Photography is not allowed inside. Jain monks perform their rituals and penance in absolute silence at the temple. Every 12 years a ritual known as the ‘mahamastaabhisheka’ is performed, in which the Lord is adorned with thousands of liters of milk, ghee, curds, saffron and gold coins, by thousands of devotees. The last one was in February 2018, and the next one will be in 2030.
The view from outside the temple compound is very beautiful. We could see the lovely rectangular pond, and the Chandragiri hill on the other side of the town of Shravanabelagola.
Restaurants and food stalls are located at the base of the hill. Drinking water and toilet facility is also available. It is best to drink some tender coconut water before and after your trek.
Show lessTo reach the temple one has to trudge up more than 600 steps from the bottom of the hill. We had to leave our footwear at the stand where the attendant gave us a token on payment of a small fee. There is no other entry fee. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to go up the steps, stopping many times on the way, as the incline is quite steep. It is better to start the trek up early before the sun starts heating up the ground and baking your feet. There are railings along the way, which helped us to pull ourselves up when the legs got tired. The old and infirm should avoid the climb, but there are palanquins available, carried by 4 porters, and they will carry you up for a fee.
The temple is very good, and there are many idols and carvings of the Jain Tirthankaras inside the temple. The statue of Bahubali is the centre of attraction. Photography is not allowed inside. Jain monks perform their rituals and penance in absolute silence at the temple. Every 12 years a ritual known as the ‘mahamastaabhisheka’ is performed, in which the Lord is adorned with thousands of liters of milk, ghee, curds, saffron and gold coins, by thousands of devotees. The last one was in February 2018, and the next one will be in 2030.
The view from outside the temple compound is very beautiful. We could see the lovely rectangular pond, and the Chandragiri hill on the other side of the town of Shravanabelagola.
Restaurants and food stalls are located at the base of the hill. Drinking water and toilet facility is also available. It is best to drink some tender coconut water before and after your trek.
Date of experience: December 2018
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