Shravanabelgola and the Jain Statue of Gomatheswara

We I was young my family used to travel a lot.  One of the trips that I remember clearly was the one we took to Shravanabelgola.  Shravanabelgola is a relatively small town in the South Indian state of Karnataka.  It is known all over India as one of the most important pilgrimage centers for members of the Jain community.

Jainism is not what comes to mind when people think of Indian religions.  But the fact is Jainism as a religion and practice has been part of the Indian fabric for thousands of years and its teachings and history are as old as any other Indian religion including Hinduism and Buddhism.

Jainism is an ascetic religion and most Jains strongly believe in peace and non-violence.  Jains follow the traditions and the teachings of enlightened monks known as Tirthankars.  The most well known and the last Tirthankar was Vardhamana.  Vardhamana is popularly known as Mahavira.  Mahavira according to Jains was born to King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala between 599 and 527 BCE. The teachings of Mahavira like those of the other religions in India during that time were preserved only orally for hundreds of years.

Religion is a complicated issue in India.  For the most part Indian educational system tends to be Hindu centric when it comes to looking at history.  In most states we are taught that both Buddha and Mahavira were “Hindus” from royal families.  These individuals became disillusioned about their life and those around them.

These princesses then supposedly left their sheltered life behind and wandered into the real world and lead an austere lifestyle.  They struggled until they found enlightenment.  They then became the founders of new religions called Buddhism and Jainism.  This is the “traditional” theory.  Many Buddhists and Jains however do not agree with this theory and contend that these religions and their philosophies existed before Buddha and Mahavira.

Thankfully these controversies have not prevented followers of all these faiths from visiting each others sacred temples and cities.  Shravanabelgola is as much a pilgrimage site for the Hindus and the Buddhists today as it is for the Jains.  Cities like Shravanabelgola also shows the influence that Jainism had in southern part of India over 1200 years ago.  During this period many South Indians (particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu) were followers of the Shramana traditions and not Vedic traditions.

Shravanabelgola itself is only about three hours away from Bangalore.  Shravan refers to Shramana (wandering monk).  Both Buddhism and Jainism are considered traditions that follow Shramana.  Belgola means a clear water lake. The centerpiece of Shravanabelgola is the 57 foot tall nude statue of Lord Gomatheswara.  This statue is on top of the Vindhyagri Hills.  The climb to the top can be slightly difficult if you are not physically fit (as in many pilgrimage sites in India there are people who will carry you to the top).

As you climb you will see the ancient city below including the temple tank.  Once you reach the top the statue of Gomatheswara (Bahubali) will overwhelm you.  This 57 foot statue is carved from a single stone.  It was built in the 9^th century and has been renovated a few years back.  There are inscriptions on the foot of the statue and around it that are very important in understanding the history of the region and also the Kannada language.  Some of these inscriptions are older than the statue itself.

What I find interesting is that Gomatheswara is depicted with short curly hairs.  In many Jain temples Mahavira is often depicted in pitch black.  Buddha in India is often depicted in the same manner as well.  This is in contrast to the long hair and lighter skin color of some of the gods in the Hindu pantheon.  Symbolism is important in religion and the depiction of Mahavira in Shravanabelgola and other places provides great insight into their antiquity, where they came from and who most of their followers were (I am writing an article called “The History of India” and you will find more on this subject there).  Meanwhile Mahavir Jayanthi (birthday of Mahavira) is now being celebrated by Jains from all over the world.  It is the holiest day of the year.

If you plan on taking a trip to Shravanabelgola I also recommend that you visit Halebid and Belur and see some of the spectacular temples built during the Hoysala period.

Related posts:

1. Thirumala Venkateswara Temple: From Buddhism to Hinduism
2. Ravi Zacharias: Christian Missionary From India
3. Gautama Buddha: Siddhartha Gautama an Avatar of Vishnu?
4. Tamil is Part of Indian Heritage
5. Hinduism: Myth vs. Reality

Tags: Bahubali, Buddha, Buddhism, Hindu, Hinduism, Indian, Jain, Jainism, Karnataka, Mahavira, religion, Shravanabelgola, Tamil Nadu, Tirthankars, Vedic, Vindhyagri

Category: Cuisine & Travel