Shravanabelagola, Hassan

India is indeed famous for its rich history and heritages. There are many historical sites in India that shows the rich cult of the country. Among them Shravanabelagola is the most captivating architectural treasure.

Shravanabelagola is one of the famous pilgrimage town for all Jains across the world. Under the patronage of the Western Ganga Dynasty of talakkad, Shavanbelagola saw significant development in architecture and sculpturing. Shravanabelagola has 37 Jain temples. It is said that first Maurya emperor Chandragupta Maurya, after becoming an ascetic meditated here with acharya Bhadrabahu, who was a noted Jain monk.

How did Shravanabelagola get the name?

The meaning of Shravanabelagola is- the white pond of Sravana. In Kannada, ‘Bela’ means white, and ‘gola’ means pond. It has many stories behind this name. One reason is the beautiful lake in this place from which the name derived. The lake is beautiful and authentic to its name. Another story, as goes as some pious old woman annoyed the deity entirely with the milk, she brought in her “gullaikayi” (eggplant). Devara Belagola, meaning the pond of God, is another name for the place. Shravanabelagola is also called as Gomattapuran, The city of Gomata.

Shravanabelagola Gomatheeswara

What Shravanabelagola is most for is the mesmerizing statue Shravanabelagola Gomatheeswara. This statue is the giant monolithic statue in the world. This 57-foot-tall statue is a perfect blend of serenity and grace. This breathtakingly beautiful statue has attracted tourists. Jains call Gomatheshwara as Bahubali. It is believed that Bahubali blesses man to live a life of eternal happiness and helps him to live with ahimsa (non-violence). Bahubali inspires renunciation, enlightenment, helps to attain salvation is Jain belief.

Mahamastakabhisheka

The Mahamastakabhisheka (the grand bathing ceremony of deity) is a sight something that you would remember and cherish forever in your life. In Mahamastakabhisheka the god is adorned with milk, ghee, saffron and gold coins. It takes place every 12 years; last was 2018. So next will be 2030.

Antique Inscriptions of Past Dynasties

Another thing that has gained the attention towards Shravanabelagola is, are the inscriptions found here. There are over 800 inscriptions found that date back to the 10th century. Most of these inscriptions are written in Purvahalagannada (ancient Kannada) and Halegannada (old Kannada) language. Many inscriptions date to 600 as to 1830 AD. Some of the inscriptions give the account of the rise of the western Ganga Dynasty, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Rashtrakutas, the Hoysala Empire, and the Wodeyar Dynasty. From the inscriptions, scholars have tried to understand the nature of development literature in the Kannada language.

Basadi - Old Jain Temples

One more architectural delight in Shravanabelagola are the ‘Basadis’. Basadi is a Jain Temple, also called as Derasar which is worship place of Jains. There are many Basadis dedicated to the various well-known figure of those times. Each of these Basadis in Shravanabelagola has beautiful architectural designs; they depict the belief that people of the era in which it was built.

During the reign of Hoysala empire king Veer Ballala II, Akkana Basadi was constructed. It is protected by the Archeological Survey of India as a monument of national importance. Chandragupta Basadi was established in the 9th century. Others include Shanthinatha Basadi, Parshwanatha Basadi, Kattlae Basadi, Chandraprabha Basadi. Built during different periods, each of these has a historical significance of its own. Suparshvanath Basadi is magnificent with seven headed serpents carved overhead. A basadi dedicated to 22nd Tirthankara, Neminath is Chamundaraya Basadi. It is also the finest and most significant among the temples on the hills.

Best Time to Visit

October to March is the favorable season to visit Shravanbelagola. As it is winter in this period and it offers pleasant weather to view all the beautiful sights.

April to June is summer and its hottest here. During summer, humidity is high, and so is temperature and may cause dehydration or stroke. Monsoon season has average rain fall and can be an obstacle in you plans to explore. July to September isn’t very favorable months.

Location

Shravanabelagola is in south India, in Hassan district of Karnataka, has a town Channarayapatna, from where it is at a distance of 7 miles, and 89 miles from Bangalore. It has Vindhyagiri and Chandragiri hill that surround the area.

Entry fees

No entry fees. Whatever you may spend in shopping is the only thing that costs you.

How to reach?

You can use one of the following ways to reach Shavanbelagola:

• Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore is the nearest airport from Shavanbelagola, and it connects the state with many international locations and local destinations. To travel from Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore to Shavanbelagola you can choose from following options.

From	To	Mode of Transport	Distance (Miles)	Duration (Hours)	Fare (INR)
Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore	Shavanbelagola	Taxi	100.1	2.26	3,900 - 4,700
		Drive	100.1	2.26	1,100 - 1,700
		Town Car	100.1	2.26	2,800 - 4,000

• From Yashwantpur or Yelahanka Junction you can take train or bus for Shravanbelagola.

From	To	Mode of Transport	Duration (Hours)	Fare (INR)
Yashwantpur Junction	Shavanbelagola	Train	2.6 (five times daily)	110 - 125
Yashwantpur Junction	Shavanbelagola	Bus (available in every 15 min)	1.5	10 - 75
Yelahanka Junction	Shavanbelagola	Train	3.3 (once daily)	115 - 130
Yelahanka Junction	Shavanbelagola		0.3	18 - 40

• If you are already in one of the South Indian cities and want a road transportation option to Shravanbelagola, it is very well connected by road. Frequent buses going to and from are available. You can opt for private bus services or go for government bus services.

You can also find a cab for yourself. Cab fare varies for a different service provider. Below is the distance and duration chart between Shravanabelagola and some other cities.

To	From	Distance (Miles)	Duration
Shravanbelagola	Hirisave	11	25 min.
	Hassan	32	56 min.
	Mysore	55	1h 56min.
	Bangalore	97	2h 40min.
	Mangalore	137	5h 7min.
	Belur	55	1h 43min.

Once inside the town, you can find autos and rides to various places. You can hire “Dolis” at the sites to climb.

So, book your tickets and fly for India to witness the splendid architectural beauty of Shravanabelagola, Hassan.