The majestic statue of Lord Bahubali at Vindhyagiri, Shravanabelagola.
A sleepy town, seeped in history
Shravanabelagola, a major Jain pilgrim centre, is a sleepy town settled around the two hills Chandragiri and Vindhyagiri with the tank Kalyani nestled between them. The 57’ tall statue of Bhagwan (Lord) Bahubali Gomateshwara, the largest monolith in the world(or is it), at the top of the Vindhyagri, is the city’s claim to fame. As we started our ascent an elderly couple from Bangalore joined us, and we were together for the whole day, to any bystander we would’ve appeared as a family out on a trip, Shilpa and me being of the same stature could be easily thought of as sisters. This is what amazes me the most about traveling; strangers don’t remain strangers for long.
Tyaaga khamba, commemorating Chavundaraya who commissioned the statue of Lord Bahubali, on the way to Lord Bahubali’s statue, Vindhyagiri, Shravanabelagola.
There was a quite crowd climbing the hill; school children, families, foreigners alike on their quest for Lord Bahubali on that particularly sunny day, but the sun couldn’t beat down their enthusiasm. There were carriers available for the elderly, and one lady looked particularly smug sitting on one but the gutsy ones preferred the tougher option, the steps. The climb was not very steep and was made comfortable by the gradual steps and the soothing view of the Kalyani.
The Basadis and the well-preserved inscriptions on the Vindhyagiri date back to a period starting from 600 to 1830 CE, with the inscriptions providing insights into the life of ascetics of that era, the Bahubali statue itself dates back to 10th Century. Whenever I visit a place seeped in history these days, I always wonder what would be the ruins of our civilization, would they all be digital?
A priest at Lord Bahubali’s feet, Vindhyagiri, Shravanabelagola.
His Majesty, Lord Bahubali
As we reached the top after climbing the 500 odd steps we caught a glimpse of Lord Bahubali from the entrance of the enclosure where it is situated. My first reaction was one of awe, a priest was meditating close to the feet of Bahubali and he didn’t even amount to as much as one foot of the statue.
The statue is minimalistic advocating the philosophy of Jainism. I marveled at the colossal effort that would have gone into sculpting a statue of such immense proportions, it is imposing and beautiful at the same time. The face of Lord Bahubali with curled locks exudes nothing but tranquility; creepers entwine his whole body to depict the time he must’ve spent meditating in the erect posture before attaining bliss. People were meditating all around the statue, and we too sat down soaking in the vibrations of the place.
After spending some time on the top we started our descent, the sun was beating down on us with full force now. We headed for lunch at a Jain Aahar (an eating place) where we were served some simple but delicious food. On the way back from the Jain Aahar we stopped at a temple, which had some beautiful stone carvings and an idol of Bahubali carved out of marble. As is typical of pilgrim centres in India, Shravanabelagola too teems with shops selling knick-knacks and mementoes, and girls that we are, we indulged in some impromptu shopping buying bangles and stuff. Time was running out so we couldn’t explore the 2nd hill, Chandragiri and headed for the bus stop.
Sculptures at a temple in Shravanabelagola.
Mahamastakabhisheka, when all roads lead to Shravanabelagola
The town appears dull now, but during the Mahamastakabhisheka it undergoes a complete transformation, people from all around the world flock to watch and perform the ceremony. I remember seeing the ceremony live on television as a kid, the event is a riot of colors with Lord Bahubali being bathed with holy water, vermillion, turmeric, and sandalwood… God-willing I would be there for it sometime in person, and capture the whole event through my camera.
The promise being made, we start back for Bangalore, Chandragiri has been left unexplored until the next time. A new year has begun and I’ve spent the first day doing what I like doing the best, traveling, exploring, introspecting and photographing. If the first day were any indicator, hopefully the year 2008 would also be spent in a similar fashion.
16 comments:
the staircase of our office is decorated with phtogrphas taken from employees, the one which I like most is one of Lord Bahubali on the day of abhishek...amazing pic
havent got time to travel across so many good places near bangalore by screwing up my time in stupid acts, anyway plannin to go smwhr in march, lets c if tht happen
u shud chk out any regular jain temple too, they r beautiful frm inside, with lots of glass work
the one at mt abu is amazing too...:)
nice pics
p.s.-my new year spent at shiv mandir(nr kemp fort) in bangalore, very very different frm last year :)
check out the link...correct the claim
u r welcome..hehe
http://www.jainworld.com/society/jainevents/GJE2003/Hubli(karnataka)the%2058-feet%20statue%20of%20bahubali.htm
"Whenever I visit a place seeped in history these days, I always wonder what would be the ruins of our civilization, would they all be digital?"
Thats a nice thought :). Yeah a majority of our ruins will be digital along with others like shopping malls, skyscrapers, freeways, subways, metros, synthetic DNA, genetically engineered species, faster and smaller gadgets, weapons of mass destruction, polluted water, CFC's and CO2 in the atmosphere, ozone holes and global warming.
hey by the way I think you should send a resignation letter to your manager ;). I saw your pics on flicker.. they are too good!! Don't waste your time in the IT industry... get into photo journalism. :)
amazing pictures..especially the one where the priest is at the feet of bahubali..
@desh
The only thing is the abhisheka happens only once in 12 yrs!! and the next one is in 2018! :(
yes, u do explore arnd, Ktk is beautiful! Hampi is strongly recommended too!
Mt Abu, havent been to any places up North except Delhi!
he he, new yr at Mandir, things change dont they?
@lp
updated the blog, with the latest info.
@ni
Sadly that is so very true.
@resignation - LOL, yup will do! :D
@backpakker
Thanks backpakker!you've got an amazing set of travel posts, will keep visiting!
I would love to use your photos of the bahubali statue in an online course we are preparing. It's an ancient civilizations course with a chapter on India and a section dedicated to Jainism. Would you consider allowing us permission?
I would love to use your photos of the bahubali statue in an online course we are preparing. It's an ancient civilizations course with a chapter on India and a section dedicated to Jainism. Would you consider allowing us permission?
I would love to use your photos of the bahubali statue in an online course we are preparing. It's an ancient civilizations course with a chapter on India and a section dedicated to Jainism. Would you consider allowing us permission?
M, you are free to use the Bahubali images for ur online course. All the Best!
Suruchi has given an excellent illustrated account of the celebrated and historic sacred heritage site of Sravana Belagola Gommateshvara-the world's only monolithic tallest statue.
I had the privilege to attend the first Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony in the 21st century celebrated in 2006 when Sri Jagadguru Bhattaraka Charukirti released my book Jaya Gommatesa published by Hindi Granth Karyalay, Mumbai.
Gommateshwara at Sravana Belagola
From time immemorial, Sravana-Belagola has lived up to the fame of being a great seat of learning of Jainism. Sravana-Belagola is composed of two words. Sravana (sraman) and Belagola. The usual derivation of Belagola is from two Kannada words Belu (white) and Kola by euphony Gola (a pond or lake).
The most important legend connects its origin with the sacred lake, named Bhudevi-Mangaladarsha-Kalyani, which is just in its center. In one of the inscriptions it is called Devara Belagola distinctly denoting- Belagola of Jinadeva.
The place of Sramana or Sravana Belagola has played dominant role in the religious history of the Jains and India from earliest times, since the dynastics of the Gangas, Kadambas, Hoyasalas and Rashtrakutas, as a Jain center of pilgrimage .
The world famous, colossal, monolithic statue of Gommateshwara or Bahubali stands upon a hill known as Vindhyagiri other wise known as Indragiri or ‘ Dodda-Betta’, big hill the smaller hill is known as Chikka-Betta in Kannada.
What represents the spiritual empire of Gommateshwara is the land described in a stone inscription dated 1408 A.D. as “Among the many beautiful countries it contained (Bharat-Khanda) , as abode of Jain dharma, a mine of good discipline , having acquired great fame, the birth place of learning and wealth , thus distinguished in many ways was the lovely country of Karnata.”
And the crest-jewel of Karnataka is undoubtedly the holy town of Sravana-Belagola.The town, situated in the Chennarayapattan Taluka of district Hassan in the state of Karnataka, the erstahile princely state of Mysore, in 12 51’ N. Latitude and 76 29’ E . Longitute , is at a distance of 12 kms. South of Chennarayapattan, 50 kms. From Hassan, and about 100 kms from Mysore.
Sravana-Belagola nestles in a valley between the two hills, that on the north being known as the Chikka-betta, also called Chandra-giri and that on the south called the Dodda-betta; big hill or Vindhya-giri or Indragiri. It is an top of the bigger hill the statue of Gommateswara stands.
For over two thousand years, Sravana Belagola has been not only an important holy place of the Jains, a distinction few historical or pilgrimage centers can claim. The inscriptions and legends clearly indicate that because of its enchanting natural setting, serence and tranquil atmosphere, the place was conclusive to penance and austerities and was sought after by ascetics, teachers and pupils of Jain religion from as early as the third century B.C.
The antiquity of the place reaches back to pre-historic times, tradition associating it with the earliest known Jain Tirthamkara Rishabha and his sons Bharata and Bahubali. At least in the fourth century B.C. it was already famous as a sacred place surrounded by habitations of pious Jains.
Bhadrabahu Swami
The earliest extant inscription engraved on the rock near the Parshwanath Basti on the Chandrgiri hill at Sravana-Belagola registers the death of a Jain ascetic, Prabhachandra, by Samadhi, It states.
“ Bhadrabahuswami, of a lineage rendered illustrious by a succession of great men who came in regular descent from the venerable supreme Sramana ascetic, Gautama-Ganadhara, his immediate disciples, Acharya, Jambu, Vishnudeva, Aparajita, Govardhana and other teachers, being acquainted with the true nature of the eight fold great omens, and a seer of the past, present and future, having learnt from an omen and foretold in Ujjayini a calamity lasting for a long period of twelve years, the entire Samgha (Jain Community) set out from the north to the south and reached by degress a country consisting of many hundreds of villages and filled with happy people, wealth, gold grain, and herds of cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep.”
Although the interpretation of this inscription has aroused some controversy particularly in the intepretation of Bhadrabahu and Prabhachandra, it is now widely accepted that the Bhadrabahu-swami of the legend and the inscription are one and the same person- the shrutakevalin and his disciple Prabhachandra in all likelihood Chandragupta, the Mauryan King.
The name Belagola (white lake) or Sravana Belagola the white lake of the Jain Ascetics is also at least as old as the 6th or 7th century A.D. In some records it is called as the Dhavala-Sarovara-Nagara the town of the white lake. The present Kalyani tank in the center of the town is supposed to mark the site of the original ‘ white lake’ on the banks of which Jain ascetics used to practise penance.
Since the consecration of the Gommateswara in ‘981 A.D. it has also come to be known as ‘ Gommata-Pura, Gommata-Tirtha or the ‘city of Gommatadeva’ . during the last two thousand years , the two hills, the town and even the neighbourhood have been adorned with numerous temples and other religious monuments. And the Bhattaraka –Pitha of Sravana-Belagola has also contributed in sustaining and maintaining the Jain religious tradition and culture.
Mythological Background of Gommateswara
The myth of Gommateshwara is uniquely evocative of the ethos of the continuous self sacrifice preached by the Tirthamkaras. Bahubali Gommateshwara was the second son of Rishabhanatha, the first Jain Tirthankara and his queen Sunanda. He had a step-brother named Bharata.
After the renunciation of Rishabha, the two sons, Bharata and Bahubali, get two different regions of the Rishabha’s kingdom to rule over. Bharata soon began to subdue the various principalities around him, and even wanted his brother Bahubali and ninety eight others to submit to him. All except Bahubali gave up their kingdoms and became monks. Bahubali alone refused to surrender.
So Bharata challenged Bahubali on the battlefield and engaged him in duel. As Bahubali was about to overpower Bharata, he suddenly realized the absurdity of pride in physical victory and gave up the fight and became a monk and began to perform various penances as a Jain Sramana.
He steadfastly observed penance in a Kayotsakga pose braving the rigours of sun, rain and storm. The beasts of the Jingle attacked him. Ants built their little mounds at his feet. Serpents crawled up his legs. Crapers sprang up and entangled his body. But undeterred he remained firm in his resolve to attain liberation.
Yet, unable to attain Kevala-Jnana, as he still harboured pride, he stood erect conscious of his suffering. His father, Rishabhanatha the Tirthamkara asked his daughters Brahmi and Sundari to go and persuade him to give up his pride. Bahubali did so and achieved enlightenment .
Bharata erected a stature of his brother at Podanpura. In the course of time, this region was overgrown with forest and the image became invisible to all but the initiated. According to Jain tradition, it was Bahubali who attained salvation first during the Avasarpini Descending half-cycle of time-era, and so being the first man to attain liberation he became an object of universal worship.
Chamundaraya, the Builder of Gommateswara
Chamundaraya, the illustrious general of the Ganga kings of Mysore, in the last quarter of the Tenth Century A.D. caused the present colossus of Gommata to be built by Arishtanemi a superb artist, under the guidance of his own gurus, Ajitasen Acharya and Nemichandra Siddhantha Chakravartin, in order to fulfil the pious wish of his own mother, Kalala Devi.
Chamundaraya was the General-in-chief as well as the prime minister of the Kingdom of the western Gangas of Talkad, during the reigns of Marasimha II (961-974 A.D.) and Rachamalla IV (975-984 A.D.) . The Raya, was not only a great warrior, an efficient administrator but also was an accomplished man of learning and a scholar. He was also a great patron of art and letters.
He wrote in 978 A.D. an epic in Kannada called Chamundaraya Purana mainly in prose which initiated Kannada prose writing. He was honoured by titles like Vir Martanda, Rana-Ranga-Singha, Samara Dhurandhara. It is said about him that he never uttered a lie even in jest and for this reason only he was given a title of ‘Satyavak Yadhishthara.’ He was a veritable Napoleon of the South India.
Gommateshwara Statue
There can be no question as to how the colossus was made. As it is cut from a single block of granite, it is manifestly impossible that it could have been hauled up such a smooth and steep hill as Vindhyagiri and raised upto an upright position. It seems practicall certain that a projecting mass of rock was on the very summit of this hill which was carved into the figure.
Standing on the erest of the Vindhyagiri as Indragiri hill, 470 ft. above the plain (and 3,347 ft. high above sea level) it is visible from great distances all around. The huge image stands in almost perfect state of preservation despite its antiquity. This ancient monument in the stillness of its hill-top shrine is a most impressive sight and one stands before it with a feeling of wonder and awe.
The sculpture is finished in the round from the head down to the region of the things by the removal of unwanted rock from behind, front and sides. Below the things, the knees and the feet are cut in very high relief with the parent rock mass still left on the flanks, and the rear, as if to support it.
The flanking rock-masses depict ant-hills and Kukkuta-sarpas or cockatrices emerging out and from among them, and on either side emerges a madhavi creeper climbing up to entwine the legs and thighs and ascending almost to the arms, near the shoulders, with their leaves spaced out and terminating in a cluster of flowers or berries.
The pedestal on which stand the feet of Gommata each measuring 2.75 m. is full down lotus, broad-chested and majestic Gommata stands erect in the Khadgasana –Kayotsarga pose with his arms dangling on either side reaching to the knees and with thumbs facing in.
The carving of the rounded head, 2-3 m. high is most subline composition of any age. The sharp and sensitive nose, the half closed and contemplative eyes, the well-shaped pounting lips wearing a benign smile that could be discerned from any direction, the slightly projected chin with a dimple above, an imperceptibly high chock, lobed ears and subdued and voluted curls of locks on the head invading the broad forehead- all make for a charming and serene face.
The broad shoulders, 8. m. across of sturdly appearance and the lack of well modulated elbow and knee-joints, the narrow hip, 3 m. wide in front and rounded gluteal bulges, as if to balace the erect stance, the incurved and channeled midline of the back, the firmly planted pair of feet, all in good proportion, accentuate the beauty and stance of the figures while at the same time they indicate the conventions of Jain iconography that has nothing to do with corporeal appearance, perhaps due to the utter other-worldly personality of a Jina or a saint for whom this material world does not exist.
The nudity of the figure indicating absolute renunciation of a Kevalin, the stiff erectness of the stance suggesting firm determination and self control and the beaming smile yet contemplative gaze- all blend together to bring out the greatness of conception and the mastery of the sculptor.
The deft skill with which, besides the head and its mien, the hands, the figures, and even the nails or the feet with their toes and nails are delineated in this hard intractable in situ rock is something to be marvelled at.
The sculptor’s conception was that of a holy man wrapt in contemplation so profound as to be unconscious of the serpents about his feet or the plants winding their tendrils around his mightly arms. It looks as bright and clean as just from the chisel of the artisan and has not been injured by a thousand years of wind or weather.
As Dr. Fergusson, the distinguished archaeologist says ( History of Indian and Eastern Architecture , Part-I) ; “Nothing grander or more imposing exists out of Egypt and even there no known statue surpasses it in height, though it must be confessed they do excel it in perfection of the art they exhibit.”
Around the pedestal and on the stone of an anthill on either side are inscriptions in Marathi, archaic Kannada, Grantha and Vatteluttu (Quasi-Malayalam), characters, and in Marathi, Kannad and Tamil languages a proclamation; “Chamundaraya caused the image to be made.”
The ascent to the Gommateshwara statue on the Indragiri hill is made by nearly 500 steps hewn in the granite, and as the hill is held in great esteem and sanctity, not only the Jains but also the non- Jains and foreigners climb it bare-foot. The steps lead through two decorative stone-arches and past the first small shrine and the arch as one ascends, one has a beautiful view of the village below with its fine temples, sacred lake and graceful palms.
The next ascent brings the pilgrim to the summit of the hill upon which stands an open court of the hill surrounded by corridor containing eight Jain temples. The corridor is again surrounded by a heavy wall, a good part of which is picturesquel band by boulders in their natural position. In the center of the court stands the colossal statue of Gommateswara standing 57ft. high.
Measurements of the Statue
Total height : 57 feet.
Total height from the crown
of the head to the bottom of the ear : 7 feet.
Total height from the foot to the
bottom of the ear : 50 feet.
Lengnth of the foot : 9 ft.
Breadth across the foot 4 ft. 6 inches.
Lengnth of the great toe 2 ft. 9 inches.
Breadth across the shoulders 20 ft.
Breadth across the pelvis 13 ft.
Length of the forefinger 13 ft. 6 inches
Lengnth of the third finger 4 ft. 7 inches.
The sculpture of Gommateshwara definitely surpasses “Worlds most heroic sculptures of two Giant American Presidents faced over Mount Rushmore in South Dakota of United States carved between 1927-1941 A.D. “
Popularity of Gommateshwara in Karnataka and South India
The very name of Gommateshwara is rather peculiar to noth Indian Jains, as this name does not occur in the long list of Jain celebrities including 24 Tirthamkara , 12 Chakravartis, 9 Narayanas, 9 Pratinarayanas and 9 Balbhadras. Nor is there any such Jain mythological person. There is no evidence, literary or inscriptional , earlier than the 12th century A.D. to show that Bahubali, the celebrated ascetic son of Rishabhanatha was ever called by the name of Gommata.
Even this image of Sravana- Belagola was originally designed as Kukkuteswara, Kukkuta jina or the Dakishina-Kukkuta –Jina , because it was traditionally believed that the original image of the saint, erected near Podanpura by Bharata Chakravartin had been entirely covered by dreadful kukkuta-sarpas (dragons with body of fowl and head of serpent) and thus had become unapproachable and untraceable.
But in later times, the image came to be known popularly as the Gommata, Gommatesha, Gommateshwara, Gommata-Jina, Gommata-deva, Gommata-natha, or Gommata Swami. So that all the subsequently raised statues of Bahubali raised at Karkal, Venur, Shravannappagiri,(near Mysore) Bastihalli, Dharmasthala, Bahubali(Kolhapur) came to bear the name which in a way became synonymous with Bahubali.
According to Dr. A.N. Upadhye, the term is not derived from any Sanskrit or Prakrit root or word, but that it is a local word found used in slightly variant forms in Kannada, Telugu, Konkani, and Marathi languages generally in the sense of good, excellent,, pleasing to look at well wisher or benefactor. He therefore inferred that it must have been the pet name of Chamundaraya, which came to be applied to several things associated with him.
As regards the popularity of Bahubali as a Jain holy saint with the Ganga and other contemporary dynasties the reason appears to be that Bahubali was adopted by them as ‘Kuladeva’ a family deity. An important fact relating to these kings and generals was that they belonged to Ksatriya clan and were always at wars against each other.
Naturally therefore they adopted Bahubali as their Kuladeva, because the latter had defeated his older brother Bharat in three kinds of war according to the Jain tradition. The word ‘Bahubali’literally stands for ‘Victory’
But the art historian M.A. Dhaky gives a different interpretation of the term Gommata. He does not accept that the monolithic colossal image of Bahubali was named ‘Gommateswara’ because Gommata was the other name of Chamundaraya. According to him this suggestion “does not seem to hold good since an inscription in Karnata pre-dating Chamundaraya mentions ‘Gommatadeva’ as a ‘sthavara-tirtha’ (Annual report of the Archaeological Dept. Mysore, 1974, P.38 ) This inscription dates from the Ganga Ereya and hence early Tenth Century A.D.
Gommatesvara Statues in Karnataka
Gommatesvara statues occupy an important place. In fact, Gommatesvara and Jainism have become almost synonymous with the overwhelming fame of Gommatesvara and his images.This image, howeve, has some special significance in the Digambara sect of Jainism.
According to the Digambara belief he is almost as reverable as the Jinas or Tirthamkaras themselves. In the carving of the Gommateswara image also it essentially differs from others in one important aspect. All other Jina images may be found either in Khadgasana-Kayotsrga- or in Padmasana, but Gommateswara can be easily identified by the presence of the serpents and ant-hills near the legs and creepers on the hands and legs of the image.
Next to Gommatesvara statue at Sravana Belagola comes the Gommatesvara statue in Karkala in South Canara district. It was installed on a hill near Karkala town, in 1432 A.D. by Virpandya, son of Bhairavaraja. The Statue is 41-1/2 ft. tall. The history relating to its installations is fully described by the poet Chadura chandrama in the Karakalada.
Gommateswara Statues
The other Gommatesvara statue is in Venur in the South Canara district. The statue which is 35ft. tall was installed by Timmannajila in 1604. It is found on a plane level ground with walls on all the four sides.
There is another Gommateswara statue of 18ft. height in Gommatagiri, a place at a distance of sixteen miles from Mysore city and to the south of the river Cauvery. This statue is situated on a huge rock which is about 100ft. in height. This small hill looks like a chariot if it is seen from a distance. We do not have any document or inscription or reference aout the installation of the statue.
The exceptional features of this statue which is not found in a any other Gommatadeva statue is that it is facing towards the east and has got the hands almost touching the open hoods of the serpents. There are no ant-hills at the feet.
Behind the Krishnarajasagar reservoir , to the north of the river Cauvery, there is a Gommatesvara statue, 18ft. in height at Basti Hoskote near Mavinakere village, Krishnarajapet taluk in Mandya district. This is known to be a statue chiseled there out of soap-stone. Surrounding this statue there are relics of Jain temples built during the times of the Gangas and Vishnuvardhana. This idol might have been installed by Somaiah and Puni-samaiah who were officers in the court of Vishnuvardhana.
There is another Gommateswara image of 10 ft. height on a hill near Tippur in Maddur Taluk, Mandya district. The image is not endowed with special features. There is inscriptional evidence to show that this place was a Jain center in the 8th century A.D.
Two other images of Gommatesvara are on the Indragiri hill of Sravana-Belagola in the vicinity of the colossal image. To one side of the wall circumscribing the great statue of Gommateswara, besides the footprints of Gandharva, there is a Gommateswara image of about 5ft. height. There is a halo of about 7ft. in height starting from the side of the feet, and it has oreepers consist of the figures of peacocks and angels. Two women with creepers in hand stand at the feet of the image.
The other Gommateswara image is to the right of the Akhanda-Bagilu on the big hill. This dates back to the twelfth century A.D. The image is carved out of the mother rock and is a bas relief. It is about 5-1/2 ft. tall with no ant-hills or snakes at the feet. The legs and hands are entwined by creepers. Here also two women holding creepers stand on both sides of the feet of th image. The significant aspect is that though both these images are in the neighbourhood of the colossal statue, it is strange how the sculptors of these images were not influenced by the latter to chisel out ant-hills with serpents beside the feet.
Cave Images of Gommatesvara
Historically the earliest image of Gommateswara found is at the Jain cave Badami which dates back to the 7th century A.D. In the verandah, the Gommateswara is on the left and Tirthamkara Parsvanatha on the right. Both of them are relief sculptures. The height of Gommateswara is about 7-1/2 ft. Madhavi creepers are seen entwined to his legs and arms. There are also two women holding the same creeper on both his sides. The other significant aspect of this image is that the curly hairs on the head are seen descending up to the shoulders.
In Aihole (Bijapur dist. Karnataka) there is a Jain temple called Mena-Basadi near the hillock in a cave dating back to 7th century A.D. There is a Gommateshwara image in standing (Kayotsarga.) postion on the right side of the cave. This is also a bas relief sculpture. The arms and legs of the image are entwined by creepers and there are scrpents near the feet. On both sides two women wearing ornaments, can be seen with creepers in hands. They are referred to as sisters of Bahubali. The cave was built during Pulakesin II and poet Ravikirti .
In all the Jain caves found in the famous Ellora caves one sees the images of Gommatesvara and also the special noticeable feature is that it is always accompanied by Tirthamkara Parsvanatha on the other side. All these Jain caves were chiseled during the regime of Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsha Nripatunga who was a great patron of Jainism and a disciple of Jinasenacharya. He ruled during the 9th entury A.D.
The jutaposition of Gommateswara images with that of Tirthamkara Parsvanatha shows a direct influence of Badami and Aihole caves. There are two images of Gommateswara in the 30th cave of Ellora popularly known as Chota Kailas. There is an image on the right side of the hall in the 31st cave. The whole body of image is entwined by creepers. To the right side there is a Gandharva, a demi-God, flying in the sky with a garland in his hands. To the left are chiseled celestial couples as well as gandharvas with garlands in their hands.
The 32nd cave with two stairs carved 200ft. into the rock is well known as Indrasabha. There are in total six Gommatesvara images here. Of the several Gommateswara images found all over Ellora, the one that is found here is considered to be most significant and beautiful.
The image being entwined by creepers is surrounded by all types of animals. Deer, serpent, rat, scorpion as well as a dog can be easily recognized. To the right side there is a male devotee and on both sides there are two women. It is generally presumed that the man is Bahubali’s brother Bharata and the two women his sisters , Brahmi and Sunderi. This bears a spectacular resembalance to the mythical Jaina episode where Bharata request Bahubali engrossed in severe penance to give up his pride.
Caves 33 and 34 have two and one Gommateswara images respectively . In Ellora there are 12 images in all. The significant features of these images are.
1) As the image was carved in bas-relief in stone background it was possible to chisel out the flying Gandharvas on the same background.
2) Of these images some have got curly hair up to the shoulders and some have it descending down till breasts and armpits. This is an impact of the Badami cave.
3) Nowhere else does one find Gommateswara with two women on both sides and a man in front of him.
From the above two Jain religious sculptures traditions regarding Gommateswara image are evident. The art and architecture of the images at Badami, Aihole and Ellora belong to one tradition and that of Sravana-Belagola , Karakala, Venur, Gommatagiri and Basti-Hoskote speak of another tradition.
The images of North Karnataka stand by one tradition following the Badami cave model, i.e. the hair down to the shoulders, the image being chiseled as a part of the wall of the cave itself (Bas-relief). On the other hand, with the installation of the colossal image of Gommatesvara at Sravana-Belagola another tradition came into existence, the features of which can be found in Karkala, Venur, Gommatagiri etc.
Modern Statues of Gommateswara
But the statue of Gommateswara at Dharmasthala (Karnataka) is different from the regional influence and age. This is in South Karnataka. But unlike the statue of Sravana Belagola it follows the model of Badami with hair down to the shoulders.
The chief sculptor of this statue was Sri. Ranjala Gopala Shenoy. The chiselling of this statue began in 1967 and was completed in 1973. The total height of the statue with the pedestal is 52 ft. of this , 6 ft. was to go into earth with a pedestal of 7 ft. above the earth. The actual height of the statue from the feet up to the head is 39 feet.
The statue was sculpted in Karakala. It has got some special features. Its curly hair descends down till the shoulders. On both the feet there are snakes climbing up along with Mallika creepers all through the body, there are also some flowers. Beside the right and left feet mango trees, parrots, monkeys, beehives are also carved on two separate stones.
Bahubali Statue in Maharashtra
In 1963 at the holy hillock known as Bahubali in Kolhapur district in Maharashtra state, a place of Jain pilgrimage , a handsome white marble statue of Bahubali Gommatesvara came to be installed and consecrated at the base of the hillock in a prominent place. It was done as desired by the late Shri. Acharya Shantisagarji Maharaj and with the inspiration provided by late Acharya Samantabhadra who has turned this religious center into a place of residential education for poor students and spiritual instruction for the laity and ascetics.
Mahamastakabhisheka of Sravana Belagola Gommatesvara:
The pratishthapana mahotsava, the consecration ceremony, of the great Gommateswara image took place on Sunday, 13th March, 981 from 3.12 a.m. to 5.06 p.m. the day according to Indian calendar being from sunrise to sunset.
The conseration rites were conducted according to the rules prescribed in the Jain texts by Chamundaraya, the commandar-in -chief of the kings of the Ganga dynasty of Talkad. It was a grand event, its scale befitting both the huge rise of the image as well as the exalted statue of the Yajamana, the host, Chamundaraya.
Anong the many rituals in the consecration ceremony there is the abhisheka or the sacred both, According to a legend, when Chamundaraya attempted to perform the ‘panchamrita-abhisheka’ ceremony, or bathing of the image with five liquids, viz. milk, butter, honey, sugar, and water with a faint air of vanity.
Vast quantities of these five substances were collected in many hundreds of pots, but to the intense annoyance of Chamundaraya , when the liquids were poured from a great scaffolding upon the head of the image they would not desend below the navel of the image.
He tried again and again but in vain, and thus the intention of bathing the imae from head to foot was frustrated. Then a celestial nymph Kushmandini appeared disguised as an old poor woman, holding the five liduids in a small silver pot a beliya gola – and declared that she would accomplish what the valiant commandar had failed to achieve.
Chamundaraya first laughed at the suggestion but later permitted her to make the attempt. Whereupon she poured the contents of her small silver pot, and lo, the sacred liquid at once flowed down and completely bathed the image ! This old woman was none else than the Gullikajiji and her devotion did a miracle which a mighty minister like Chamundaraya could not do.
Chamundaraya, the great warrior and creator of the image accepted his defeat at the feet of this humble devotee and repented for having succumbed to the feelings of pride and arrogance at having caused such a magnificent statue to be sculpted.
He now approached the task with humble devotion and the panchamritabhisheka covered the image from head to toe. From that time the town came to be known as Beliya gola, the silver pot or a tank of pure water, and the head-anointing ceremony was perfermed periodically. Chamundaraya crected an image of the old woman Gullikajiji just opposite to the colossus outside the door. No better homage could ever have been paid by a magnanimous vanquished to his victor in more dignified manner than this.
The abhisheka, as a rule, is a daily event for any image in worship, but the colossal size of the Gommateshwara image makes it impossible. Thus only the feet of the image are bathed daily in what is known as pada puja, and the head-anointing ceremony, or the mastaka-bhisheka performed occasionally.
Later the ceremony of mastakabhisheka came to be termed as maha mastakabhishakas
As it was performed at certain conjunctions of the planetary bodies at intervals of 10 to 15 years. The ritual is impressive and spectacular with many monks and priests and thousands of pilgrims taking part in it. The mahamastabhisheka is thus popularly known as the Grand Festival of Head-Anonting Ceremony of Sravana Belagola.
The festival begins a few days earlier and terminates a few days after the day of mahamastakabhisheka. During this period various festivals and pujas take place. On the morning of the Grand abhisheka the courtyards in front of colossus presents a glorious sight. On the ground, strewn with layers of fresh green paddy, 1008 coloured Kalasha or pots are arranged in a geometrical pattern. Each pot has a cocoanut with green mango leaves fastened to it with auspicious colour thread. Of the 1008 pots, 900 are used for the first anointing 103 for the second and only 5 for the third and last anointing .
When the ceremony is due to start a number of Jain priests take up their positions on a high scaffolding especially erected for the purpose. Each priest holds in his hands one Kalasha or pot of milk and one of ghee. At the signal of the officiating dignitary they lustrate the image first with milk and then with ghee.
After this first purifying bath or anointing, the Jain priests offer worship to the Gommatesvara image till noon. At the stroke of one O’clock the great mahamastakabhisheka begins. In the former times, when Sravana Belagola was within the territories of Mysore State, the Maharaja of Mysore State had the hereditary privilege of per-forming the first puja of the image on the occasion.
As the appointed hour draws near, a thousand priests climb to their places on the scaffolding with pots of water. Suitable music is played by the temple musicians while the priests chant hymns and prayers from the Jain sacred texts. At the auspicious moment the thousand pots of water are emptied over the image amidst shouts of Jai Jai.
The huge proportions of the graceful colossus, whose head is anointed on that day by thousands of priests and pilgrims gives to the ritual an impressive character. The festival begins about a fortnight earlier and terminates after a fortnight of the Mahamastakabhisheka.
Mahamastakabhishekas so far:
The written records are available to establish the Mahamastakabhisheka having taken place in the following years
1 1398 A.D. :- Mentioned in Inscription No. 105 at Shravana Belagola.
There is alo a mention there in to the effect that one
Panditaraya did perform seven Mahamastakabhisheka
like this prior to it.
2. 1612 A.D. :- Mentioned by poet Panchabana of its being performed by
Shanti Varni
3. 1659 A.D. :- Performed by Maharaja Dodda Devaraja Wadiar Bahadur of Mysore.
4. 1675 A.D. :- Performed by Maharaja Chikha Devaraja Wadiar Bahadur
of Mysore.
5. 1677 A.D. :-Mentioned by poet Anant of its being performed by Vishalaksha, the minister of Chikka Deva Raja Wadiar Bahadur of Mysore.
6. 1800 A.D. :- Performed by Maharaja Bhummadi Krishnaraja
Wadiar(IV) Bahadur of Mysore.
7. 1825 A.D. : Mentioned by Pandit Shantiraj of its being performed by
Maharaja Krishnaraj Wadiar III of Mysore
8. 1827 A.D. :- Mentioned in inscription No. 98 at Sravana Belagola.
9. 1871 A.D. :- Mentioned in Indian Antiquery.
10. 1887 A.D. Mentioned in Epigraphia Carnatica Vol.II, Sravana
Belagola. Performed by Kolhapur Mutt Bhattaarak
Laxmisen at the expenses of Rs.30,000.00
11. 1900 A.D. :- Mentioned in Indian Antiquery.
12. 1910 A.D. :- Performed by Krishna Rajendra Wadiyar. From the social
point of view of the Jainas the event proved significant as
Resolution was passed for opening Jain Boarding school
under the scheme of Seth Manekchand Hirachand of the
All-India Digambar Jain Mahasabha.
13. 1925 A.D. :- Approximately 30,000 persons attended this ceremony.
Krishna Rajendra Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore, walked
up the hill barefooted, witnessed the entire anointment
ceremony, personally performed the Puja , did sashtang
namaskar to the Gommatesh image , and showed personal
regard to the Jain Matha by doing namaskara to His
Holiness Charukirti Bhattaraka, the head pontiff of Sravana
Belagola.
14. 1940 A.D. :- The ceremony was celebrated in the presence of about two
hundred thousand pilgrims from different parts of India.
The grand ceremony started at 9.30 a.m. on the 26th
February, 1940, when the first abhisheka was performed by
Shri Krishna Rajendra Wadiyar, accompanied by the
Maharaja of Mysore Shri Jaya Chamarajendra Wadiyar.
During this festival the 1008 Kalashas decorated pots, used for the Mahamastak abhisheka ceremony were divided into four categories as follows:
1. Gold Kalasha : 51
2. Silver Kalasha : 300
3. German Silver Kalasha : 300
4. Brass Kalasha : 357
-----
Total 1008
These were disposed of in public auction. The first Gold Kalasha of great honour was taken for Rs.8001. By the auction sale of these kalasha over Rs.75000.00 were collected and deposited with the Mysore Government for the protection and upkeep of the sacred image of Gommatesvara.
15. 1953 A.D. :- This time 1008 kalashas decorated pots, used for
mahamastakabhisheka ceremony were divided into only
two categories: 900 Silver Kalasha and 108 Gold
Kalashas. All the Kalashas were disposed off netting a
sum of Rs.1,59,799.00.
The preliminiaries of the festival commenced on 18th Feburary,1953 and the great ceremony was conducted on 5th March, 1953, in the presence of Shri Jaya Chamarajendra Wadiyar, the Maharaha of Mysore.
16. 1967 A.D. :- In keeping with the established practice, 1008 Gold and
Silver Kalasha meant for the mahamastakabhisheka
ceremony were made available to the devotees through
public auction and sale. The first Gold Kalasha of great
honour was taken in public auction for Rs.47,500.00 as
against Rs.18,001, in 1953 and Rs.8001 in 1940.
The festival of mahamastakabhisheka began on 15th March, 1967. The ceremonies of this day were witnessed by a huge gathering of about five hundred thousand.
The most spectaculars and memorable feature of the event was akasha pushpavrishti,the showeringof multi-coloured flowers with huge quantities of red vermillion and saffron colour powder upon the image by means of a helicopter. The crowds spontaneously responded with loud shouts of Shri Bahubali Bhagwan ki jai-victory to Lord Bahubali.
17. 1981 A.D. :- The Mahamastahabhisheka festival was held from 9th
February 1981 to 15th March, 1981. With great abhisheka
scheduled on 22nd February. An extraordinarily special
significance was attached to this historic event as it marked
the 1000th anniversary of the consecration of the Bahubali
Gommatesvara image.
The 1008 Kalasha meant for the mahamastakabhisheka ceremony were divided into eight different categories.
10 Shatabdi Kalashas Rs.100000 each
4 Divya Kalashas Rs. 50,000 each
4 Ratna Kalashas Rs. 25000 each
200 Suvarna kalashas Rs. 5000 each
200 Rajat Kalashas Rs. 2500 each
200 Kasya Kalashas Rs. 1000 each
250 Gulla Kayiji Kalashas Rs. 500 each
All the Kalashas were purchased by the Jain devotees. There was an unprecedented more than one million pilgrims presence at this Millennial festival .
Another specials features of this festival was the Jana Mangal Maha-Kalasha Pravartana launched under the enlightened leadership of the Jain monk Elacharaya, Munishri, Vidyananda. It marked the beginning of the Bahubali Pratishthapana Sahasrabdi Mahotsava, the 1000th Anniversary celebrations of the Consecration of the Image of Bahubali.
According to this scheme an eightfoot high holy copper urn was placed on a decorated chariot which passed through 110 major cities and towns of India. It reached the destination of Sravana Belagola on the 20th February,1981. The Jana Mangala kalyana Kalasha received a ceremonial send off from then Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi on 29th Sept, 1980 at the Red Fort grounds in Delhi. Smt. Indira Gandhi also attended the mahamastikabbhisheka ceremony on 22nd Feb, 1981.
Sravana Belagola a Great Pilgrimage Centre.
Thus Sravana Belagola has remained for more than a thousand years a great Jaina pilgrimage place. Sravana Belagola is also known as Jaina Bidri. Jaina Bidri is a true representative of all that is represented by the phrase Jaina religious culture and embodies the finest and greatest Jain moral codes. It is in fact, something more to Jains than what Bodh Gaya is to Buddhists, Kashi to Hindu-Brahmins, Mecca to Muslims and Jerusalem or Bethelhem to Christians.
------Secretary-General, All India Jain Minority Forum, New Delhi,
Ex-Member, Media Expert Committee, Govt. of India,
Ex- Member, Maharashtra State Minority Commission, Govt.of Maharashtra, Mumbai.
Ex-President, National Society for Prevention of Heart Disease & Rehabilitation,
Co-Author: JAINISM (Macmillan Co 1974). with Colette Caillat, (Member Institut de France, Paris,) & A.N.Upadhye, (ex-President, All-India Oriental Conference,) Author: SUPREME COURT'S VOLTE FACE ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT (Published by Govt. of Maharashtra, 1980) Author:Jaya Gommatesa! Foreword by C.Caillat (Publisher :Hindi Granth Karyalay, 2005)
Patil Estate, 278, Tardeo Road, Mumbai-400007,
Tel:91 22 2386 1068, Fax: 91 22 23893030, Cell: 98692 55533
Website: http://jaina.in
Email: balpatil@globaljains.com
Gomateshwara is the tallest statue in the world. Dedicated to Lord Bahubali, located in Shravanabelagola. Shravanabelagola is a very important for pilgrimage and religion for centuries. Very nice view of the statue during the festival of Mahamastakabhishekam which is held once in 12 years. For more details refer Gomateshwara
hello sur, I really loved what you wrote about Shravanbelagola...though I read it years after you wrote it...
I wish I could follow your blog but I don't know how to since not much of a blog person but you do write beautifully...would like to keep in touch my email is piyushpicean@gmail.com
Piyush Jain
Excellent post on Sravana Belagola. Great.
Please look into my post on
Sravana Belagola which i posted just now in my Heritage of India blog.
http://indian-heritage-and-culture.blogspot.in/2012/12/shravana-belagola-lord-bahubali.html
Please explore my Heritage of India and other blogs and share your comments.
thank you
Mahamastakabhisheka that happens only once in a twelve years is happening this week Feb17-25, 2018.
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