The Gomateshwara Temple Statue is a 57-foot-tall monolithic statue on the Vindhyagiri Hills in the town of Shravanabelagola in Karnataka, India. Gomateshwara Temple is located about 158 km from Bengaluru city and 83 km from Mysore.
The Gomateshwara statue is dedicated to the Jain figure Bahubali and embodies the Jain teachings of peace, non-violence, sacrifice of worldly affairs and simple living. Carved out of a single block of granite, it is the tallest monolithic statue in India and is visible from 30 kilometers away.
History of Gomateshwara Temple:
According to Jain texts, Bahubali or Gomateshwara is the second son of the Jain Tirthankara, Rishabhdev or Adinath. It is believed that Adinath had 100 sons. The story begins when Rishabhdev left his kingdom and there was a fight between his son Bharata and Bahubali for the kingdom. When Bharata called for war, Bahubali called for a duel involving only both as he did not want many to lose their lives. Although Bahubali won the battle with Bharata, he was not happy as there was bitterness between the brothers.
So Bahubali gave the kingdom to Bharata and went in search of complete knowledge. After years of meditation he attained only arihant i.e. complete knowledge.
Another story suggests that Chavundraya and his mother had reached the site of Shravanabelagola during the pilgrimage. At the site, Chavundraya had a dream in which he fired an arrow from the Chandragiri hills to Vindhyagiri as directed by a yakshi. The arrow fell on the spot where Bahubali is believed to have appeared. And that's how Chavundaraya ensured the construction of a huge statue of Bahubali.
Gomateshwara Temple Entry Timings & Fees
The temple remains open from 6:30 am to 11:30 am and from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. A fee of around Rs 150 is charged for entering the temple to see the statue.
Prime Festival
The Mahamastakabhisheka festival, an elaborate ritual, is held here once every 12 years. The last festival occured on 2018.
Priests ascend to pour hundreds of pots of coconut water, turmeric, vermilion, sugarcane juice, milk, rice flour, kashaya (a herbal mixture), srigandha (sandalwood), chandan ( red coloured sandalwood), ashtagandha. Jain devotees from all over the world visit this magnificent ceremony.
The great Bahubali statue of the Gomateshwara temple shows its importance and the beauty of its peaceful and serene spiritual vibe.
Popular Name: Gomateshwara Temple, Gomateshwara Statue