Gommata Colossus of South India

[Guest guest]

A colossal poem in stone

 

Besides the magnificent monolith of Bahubali, Sravanabelagola also

boasts of many monuments, hills and caves of interest to the

discerning spiritual tourist, writes B M Chandrasekharaiah.

 

 

 

Sravanabelagola, a small town in Hassan district, Karnataka with a

population of about 8,000 covering an area of about 1.95 sq kms

nestles between two rocky hills Indragiri and Chandragiri.

 

It suddenly becomes a major pilgrim centre every 12 years, drawing

lakhs of Jain devotees and tourists from all over India and abroad.

People throng this tiny town to celebrate the spectacular Maha

Mastakabhisheka of the 58 foot high statue of Lord Bahubali.

 

Sravanabelagola is one of the oldest and holiest of Jain pilgrimage

centres, flooded by devotees all round the year. But, at the time of

the Maha Mastakabhisheka, the celebrations assume truly awe-inspiring

proportions. The first reference to the Maha Mastakabhisheka ceremony

is found in an inscription dated AD 1398. The last Maha

Mastakabhisheka took place in December 1993.

 

 

A 70 feet high scaffolding is specially erected along the back of the

statue with a platform at the top which will enable 30 archaks and

devotees at a time to perform abhisheka.

 

The history of Sravanabelagola dates back to 300 BC when emperor

Chandragupta Maurya is believed to have come here after renouncing

his kingdom. He was accompanied by his Guru, Bhadrabahu Muni and his

1200 disciples. He took shelter on Chandragiri, the small hill.

Later, both of them breathed their last here. This small hill was

then known as Kalbappu or Katavapra which means vapra (hill) for kata

(samadhi). In fact a good number of records speak of devout Jains

attaining samadhi in the place by performing vrata of fasting unto

death called Sallekhana. That great Muni was responsible for

converting an arid jungle into a habitable centre and the spreading

Jainism in South India. But, very few references are made of this

great saint in inscriptions. The earliest inscription in Sanskrit at

the place refers to him, and to his migration from Ujjain in the

Vindhyas to Kalbappu in Karnataka, but, that is dated AD 600. A very

early prose work in Kannada, Vaddarabhane by Sivakotyacharya of 9th

century described the life of Bhadrabahu elaborately. Bhadrabahu

basadi, a small natural cave which it is believed was occupied by the

muni himself contains panels of small carvings depicting the great

migration of Bhadrabahu, Chandragupta and others from the north and

to their final settlement here in the south.

 

Influence of Jainism

 

The Satavahanas, Kadambas and Gangas ruled over this region in

subsequent years. It was under the Gangas who ruled southern

Karnataka from Talkadu between the 4th and 11th centuries, that

Jainism in the south reached its height of glory. During the 700

years of their rule, the Gangas showed themselves to be great patrons

of Jainism and also Vedic culture. In fact, it was in the time of the

Ganga king Rachamalla that the statue of Lord Bahubali was created by

his general Chavundaraya around AD 981.

 

The importance of Sravanabelagola did not diminish under subsequent

dynasties and their rulers. Sravanabeloga's 37 incredible temples and

525 inscriptions, spanning a period of over 2000 years, bear

testimony to the roots which Jainism took in South India.

 

Monuments

 

The small hill Chandragiri named after Chandragupta which has many

basadis and samadhis, the town below with a big lake and the large

hill called Vindhyagiri or Indragiri together constitute

Sravanabelagola. It continues to be in this enviable position for

over 2000 years, when many towns and cities rose into importance and

went into oblivion. The town itself rose into greater importance at

the close of 10th century AD when Chavundaraya, the great Ganga

general got the Gommata monolith sculpted and installed at

Vindhyagiri. Belagola the temple pond seems to have been created in

place of the Belogola of the past, by the king of Mysore

Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar, in the 17th Century.

 

Jain Monastery: The walls of the monastery are decorated with

paintings depicting scenes from the lives of some of the Jain

Sramanas and kings. The monastery also contains two temples dedicated

to Chandranatha and Parswanatha.

 

Bhandara Basadi is the biggest temple in Sravanabelagola and a fine

specimen of the Hoysala architecture.

 

Akkana Basadi is a shrine with a tower containing many Hoysala style

carvings and a statue of Parswanatha encircled by a seven-hooded

serpent.

 

The 3,347 foot Indragiri also known as Vindhyagiri or Doddabetta

contains a variety of monuments and inscriptions.

 

Gommata colossus

 

Though the statue is visible over a distance of 26 kms, it cannot be

seen from the foot of the hill! A flight of 614 steps, carved out of

sheer rock, lead to the summit of Indragiri, where the statue stands

in a small courtyard (suttalaya) like enclosure. The 58 foot high

statue carved out of a single rock is believed to be the world's

tallest monolithic statue. Nearly 1025 years old, but, still looking

serene and freshly hewn, the statue is 26 foot across the shoulders,

has a 10 foot waistline, 5 foot 6 inches long middle finger, 9 foot

long foot, 2 foot 9 inches long toe and the breadth across the foot

is 4 foot 6 inches.

 

The other important monuments of Indragiri include the five foot high

Tyagada Brahmadeva Stambha where Chavundaraya is said to have sat and

distributed alms to the poor. Odegal Basadi is the biggest temple on

the hill and it is dedicated to Adithirthankara Vrishabhadeva. Siddha

Basadi has a massive door way carved out of stone and contains 101

images of Bahubali's brothers and Bahubali and Bharatha.

 

The 3,052 foot high Chandragiri or Chikkabetta is less steep than

Indragiri and rather different in character. Most of the basdis and

monuments are located near the summit of the hill. The temples are

built in the Dravidian style and the oldest dates back to the 8th

century AD.

 

Chavundraya Basadi built by Chavundaraya's son Jinadevanna is a

notable one. It is one of the oldest and finest temples on

Chandragiri.

 

Chandragupta Basadi is believed to have been built by Ashoka the

Great. The panels and inscriptions here, carved on a highly polished

black stone, depict the life of Chandragupta Maurya and his guru

Bhadrabahu muni.

 

Manasthambha is a monolithic pillar 60 foot high with a 20 foot

mantapa at the top.

 

Bhadrabahu Basadi is a small natural cave which is believed to have

been occupied by the muni himself before he attained nirvana. This

cave is located near the peak of the hill. His foot prints are

engraved on a stone slab in the cave. It is also believed to be the

place where emperor Chandragupta Maurya attained samadhi after 12

years of penance. Besides these, there are many other basadis and

places of interest.

 

Between the Bhadrabahu cave and the enclosure is the Lekkidone, a

natural pond. To the left of Lekkidone, on the rock surface, is a

brief inscription of Sri Kaviratna Ranna, who was patronised by

Chavundaraya. Ranna's Ajitanathapuranam and Godaynddha are among the

celebrated Jaina works in Kannada.

 

Chavundaraya commissioned the great sculptor Aristanemi to carve the

statue from the huge rock at the peak of Indragiri Hill. Completed

around AD 981 the statue of Bahubali which stands on a padmapitha in

kayotsarga pose was so perfect that the index finger of each hand was

made defective to ward off the evil eye!

 

The statue is celebrated not only for its size but also for its

underlying concept, the victory of man's spiritual attainment over

physical desire. The statue shows Bahubali so absorbed in penance

that vines climb along his limbs and ant hills form around his feet,

while he stands in absolute tranquillity!

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/feb72006/spectrum104457200626

..asp