An easy, practical and in-sequence itinerary planner I have travelled the length and breadth of India, and am truly proud of its rich and varied heritage. I am amazed by the tradition and values, the people, festivals, celebrations and the changing landscape. Have you wondered if it's possible to travel across India completely? Most foreigners arriving in India, land in Delhi and then travel the Golden Triangle route first- which is a good decision incase you have limited time at hand and want to make the most of it. The Golden Triangle- Delhi, Agra and Jaipur includes the much hyped Taj Mahal which invariably is part of a tourist's bucket list. This blog on the other hand- is a sequential strategy and detailed 'been there done that' itinerary plan starting from Mumbai. I am sure as we go through this Journey you will understand India better. My experiences are based from the perspective of a - digital nomad, budget backpacker and from a local standpoint. Each Itinerar...
A day at MOODABIDRI and KARKALA: Jainism spiritual quest
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Jainism is a religion as old as antiquity itself. A religion that even precedes Buddhism and Hinduism! The answer to How old Jainism is?~ lies in Shravanabelagola, a place close to Hassan in Karnataka.
Sometime between 13th to 16th CE, it was King Veera Bhairava, who initiated the construction of Jain desaras (place of worship) around Moodbidri and Karkala, so I decided to spend a day exploring these two places.
Mangalore to Moodabidri, Karkala
Mangalore is well-connected by road and there are several (private) buses are ply frequently on this route. There are 2 roads to approach Moodabidri.
1- a short distance road approx 32km via St.Joseph's Engineering college. This one has many twists and turns, so sit back and relax. My bus sped like hell and we covered the distance in 45min.
2- an excellent smooth drive along NH-67 via Padubidri, Nitte that takes about 1 hr.
Moodabidri's Jain derasars
Moodabidri has a cluster of Jain derasars and is worth spending an hour or two admiring the place and its history.
Chantanatha basadi or 1000 pillared temple, Moodabidri
1000 pillared basadi (Jain place of worship) at Moodabidri, KARNATAKA
Is the more well-known basadi located a few kms further from Moodbidri bus stand, on the road leading to Karkala. Frankly I was expecting more, but nevertheless~ the place resonates peace. It was built by Devaraya Wadiyar in the 15th century and it is stated that every pillar has a unique carving.
Although Jainism does not hold a conventional GOD belief as do most religions, they do hold high regard to evolved beings or spiritual gurus known as tirthankaras, and Chantanatha basadi's main deity is Chandraprabha~ a Jain tirthankara.
Walking around the area are several old and beautiful homes, I spent some time admiring the quiet lanes and drank some tender coconut water.
old-world charm homes around Moodabidri KARNATAKA
There are some more Jain temples roundabouts such as~
Guru basadi
Also known as Parshwanatha basadi as the statue of Bhagwan Parshwanatha was through an act of fate found lying among the bamboo bushes.
Jain temple at Moodbidri
A jain temple at Moodabidri KARNATAKA
Yet another remarkable temple in the same lane as Guru basadi. The way these temples have retained their old-world charm is so pleasing to the eye
An intricately carved stambh
Unable to keep track of the names of the temples, I continued exploring and found another one opposite Guru basadi. Note the intricately carved stambh.
Zoom in and check out the intricately carved stambh of a Jain temple at Moodabidri, KARNATAKA
There were some more Jain temples but we're closed during the afternoon hours, so I boarded a bus going 15kms onward to KARKALA.
KARKALA's Jain legacy
During the 6th century AD, Karkala was administered by the Alupas who were feudatory to the KADAMBA dynasty that controlled the TuluNadu region for almost 800 years. After the Kadambas, the Vijayanagara dynasty took control of TuluNadu and similarly had many feudal administrators, one of them being Bhairarasa-Odeyas (13th- 16th century AD). It was during this time that Jainism gained popularity.
Driving down the road to KARKALA is a reminder of the close proximity to the Western ghats. Sringeri and Dharmasthala, two of Hinduism's most important pilgrimage sites, are further down.
KARKALA two most iconic landmarks are~
Gomateshwara statue
Also known as BAHUBALI, this monolith on the peak of a hill is like a smaller version of Shravanabelagola. The climb is not as much and there are clear cut steps to the top. Here too they conduct the Masthakaabhisheka* every once in 12 years. Presently (Jan 2022) renovations are going on, to give the place a nice facelift.
*Mastakabhisheka- bathing of the statue in milk, water and saffron paste.
Statue of GOMATESHWARA (BAHUBALI) built by King Virapandya of the Kalasa-Karkala kingdom in1432
Chaturmukha Basadi
Located on a rocky outcrop, it was built in 1432 AD about the same time as Gomateshwara statue. This basadi was closed unfortunately, so I had to skip this one.
A view of Chaturmukha Basadi from atop the hillock of Gommateshwar, Moodbidri
Anekere lake
A short walk from the Gomateshwara statue is this beautiful little lake, where one can spend a few moments to admire the birds that come to roost here. It is said to have existed since the 12th century AD and was the source of drinking water.
WHERE TO STAY
For your visit to Moodbidri and Karkala, Mangalore will be your base. There are many hotels and stay options in various price ranges.
Jai-Jinendra! A spiritual quest to understanding Jainism
Jai-Jinendra! (Praise to the jinas- evolved beings). If you enjoyed this blog do comment and let me know. I'll be happy to answer any questions. Thanks for reading.
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