All India Jain Temples and Tourist Places

Author(s): B C Nagraj
Publisher: ITI Jains Association, Bangalore

Page 80

History of CHANDRA GIRI or the smaller hill goes back to Before Christ. In the 3rd Century B.C., the great Mauryan emperor Changragupta Maurya having taken a vow of renunciation spent his last days as an ascetic here in the rocky cave along with his guru Muni Bhadrabahu, both of them who came from North India. The basadis here on Chandragiri are (1) Parshwanatha basadi (15 ft. tall khadgasana statue), (2) Kattale and Padmavathi basadi (observe the rock grill freizes carved by the then famous Hoysala sculptor Dasoja) (3) Chandragupta basadi (4) Shanthinatha basadi (5) Chandraprabha basadi, (6) Chaundaraya basadi (Neminatha) (7) Shasana basadi (Vrishabhanatha) (8) Eradukatte basadi (Ananthanatha) (9) Savathi Gandhavarana basadi (Shanthinatha) (10) Therina basadi (Bahubali) and (11) Bhadrabahu cave.
In the town there are (1) Matada basadi (2) Bhandara basadi (24 thirthankaras statue) (3) Akkana basadi (4) Mangai basadi (5) Siddanta basadi (6) Dhanashala basadi etc. The Sri Mutt here is headed by Sri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji, which is more than thousand year old and is the centre of many Jaina activities.
Dharmashalas: Sri Jain Mutt & Digambar Jain Dharmashala, Vidyananda Nilaya and other Guest houses, Shravanabelagola, Hassan Dist.
Rathayatra is held during Chaitra Shudda Poornima. 210. JINANATHA PURA (Located towards the north of Chandragiri, Shravanabelagola)
Shantinatha basadi here is a fine specimen of the Hoysala style of architecture built in around 1200 A.D. This basadi is one of the most ornate of the Jain Temples. The image of Shanthinatha is well carved and is about 5-1/2 ft. high with prabhavali and is flanked by male chauri bearers. Another basadi called as Aregal basadi enshrines seated marble statue of Parswanatha. 211.KAMBADA HALLI (Nagamangala Tq., Mandya dist. 2 Kms. to north of Bindiganavale).
This is the holy place of Jains and gets the name from its tall Brahmadeva pillar of 50 ft. high. The Adinatha basadi, which is in the centre of a group of five shrines known as “ Panchakuta basadi”, was constructed in 900 A.D. The Shanthinatha basadi has well executed friezes. The image of Shanthinatha is of ten feet height and is well
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