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Gommages vara Statues in Karnataka
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Gommața means beautiful, handsome, excellent, Cupid. Cāmundarāya's kith and kin as well as the elders used to call him Gommaţa. Hence the image of Bāhubali installed by Cāmundarāya with utmost devotion might have been called Gommațeśvara. There onwards all the images of Bahubali were termed as Gommateśvara in general, thus establishing the name Gommatesvara for all Bāhubali images.
Where was Bahubali's image first established ? Poet Boppana provides us a reference for this Emperor Bharata got an image of Bahubali of 525 bow-length at Paudanapura. But later on there were innumerable Kukkuţa Sarpas rendering the area almost impregnable to common men. When Cāmundarāya set out for the Darsana of the image, elders advised him that Paudanapura was far away and not easily accessible. Hence Cām darāya, who was also known as Gommata, got the image installed there alone. But, however, the image of Bahubali installed by Bharata Has become mythical. Historically we come across the image in Karnataka. Of the images which have been found, the earliest known is at the Jaina cave of Bādāmi which dates back to the 7th century A. D. In the verandah, we find Gommateśvara on the left and Tirthařkara Parávanātha on the right. Both of them are relief sculptures. The height of Gommateśvara is about 7 feet. Madhavi creepers are seen entwined to his legs and arms. We also see 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 shoulders.
In Aihole there is a Jaina temple called Meņa Basadi near the hillock Meguţi. There is a Gommateśvara image in standing (Kāyotsarga) posture 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 serpents 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. This cave dating back to c. 7th century A.D. might have been built during Pulikesin II and Poet Ravikirti. The Jaina temple built by Ravikirti and his inscription are found on the Meguți hillock near the same Meņa Basadi. Even the Meņa Basadi must have come to existence during his time.
The regime of the Rāştrakūtas is significant in the history of Karnataka for its outstanding sculpture. The present Ellora cave temples found in Maharashtra provide a standing example for the superior variety of sculpture during the kings' rule in Karnataka. The art of constructing cave temples has attained its fullness in Ellora caves. All these Jaina caves were chiselled during the regime of Rāstrakūta King Amoghavarşa Nrpatunga who was a great patron of Jainism and a disciple of Jinasenācārya. He ruled during the 9th century A.D. In all the Jaina caves found in Ellora we see the images of Gommateśvara and also the special noticeable feature is that Gommateśvara is always accompained by Tirthankara
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