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AROUND
SHRAVANABELAGOLA
HERITAGE OF
SHRAVANABELAGOLA > AROUND
SHRAVANABELAGOLA
The
important Jain centres in the neighbourhood of Shravanabelagola include
Jinanathapura, Halebelagola, Bekka, Sanehalli and Kambadahalli. These
places are well known for the ancient Jain shrines with architectural
beauty.
JINANATHAPURA - It is situated
about a mile to the north of Shravanabelagola. This village was founded
by Ganga Raja, the general of the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana, in about
A.D. 1117.
Shanthinatha Basadi - The
main temple of the place is the Shanthinatha basadi. It was built by
Vasudaika Bandhava Rechimayya who made it over to Sagaranandi Siddhanta
Deva in the year A.D. 1200. He was the first minister of the Kalachurya
king. But latter on he was placed under the protection of Hoysala King
Ballala II. This temple is a fine specimen of the Hoysala style of
architecture. It consists of a cell, a vestibule and a hall built over a
star shaped adishtana. The well
carved image of Shanthinatha, the 16th Tirthankara, is seated on a lion
pedestal. It is about 5' 6" high. The garbhagriha is guarded by two
dwarapalakas. The navaranga has elegantly executed pillars adorned with
beaded work. The ceilings are also of good workmanship of art. The
niches of the navaranga are now empty. The outer walls have a row of
large images, some in an unfinished state, consisting of Parshwanatha,
Suparshwanatha and other Jinas, Yakshas (Dharanendra and Sarvahna),
Yakshis (Padmavathi, Chakreshwari, Ambika, Vajrashrunkala and
Ananthamathi), Brahma, Saraswathi, Manmatha, Mohini, drummers, musicians,
dancers, etc. This temple was renovated by Paleda-Padumanna in A.D.
1632.
Aregal Basadi - It is so
called as the structure is built on a Are (a rock). It is built
mainly from brick and mortar by Hiri Aechimayya (Aechana) the son of
Barma. Barma was the brother of Gangaraja. He also built a temple at
Koppal (or Kopanachala in Northern Karnataka) and the Shanthinatha
temple on Chandragiri at Shravanabelagola. The original image of
Parshwanatha of this temple suffered mutilation and was found lying in
the bed of the tank near by. In its place a seated marble image of
Parshwanatha was installed in 1889 A.D. for the spiritual welfare of
Bhujabalaiah a resident of Belagola. Also seen in the temple are the
idols of Navadevata, Panchaparameshti, Nandishwara and Chaturvimshati. An inscription of the memorial
stone erected by the wife and mother of Aechanna in his memory is found
near the entrance.
Samadhi Mantapa - The village
has also an inscribed Jaina tomb measuring 5' X 4' generally known as the Samadhi mantapa.
But it is designated in the inscription as Silakuta or stone house. It
was erected to commemorate the death of the son of Balachandradeva in 1213 A.D.,
due to severe fever. He was also a disciple of the royal guru
Nemichandra Pandita. Also seen are the memory stones of Charukeerthi
Panditacharya (A.D. 1643) of Belagola and also Devakeerthi Pandita (A.D.
1163) the Jain ascetic.
HALEBELAGOLA-
The
village of Halebelagola is at a distance of about 6.5 Kms to
the north of Shravanabelagola. The Jinalaya in the Hoysala style
of architecture consists of a garbhagriha, an open sukhanasi, a navaranga and a
porch. The plinth is supported at the corners and other places
by figures of elephants. The outer walls are decorated with
pilasters and shallow niches. The central ceiling of the
navaranga is beautifully carved with a standing figure of
Dharanendra holding bow and conch under a five hooded canopy in
the centre and the ashtadikpalakas (regents) around. There are two chauri
bearers lying mutilated in the porch and a headless Jina figure
in the navaranga. The temple was built in 1094 A.D. The village appears to
have had more temples at one time as evidenced by the waste weir
of the tank close by which is mostly built of the architectural
members of old temples and also by the existence of a number of
loose sculptures around the pond in the middle of the village.
KAMBADAHALLI- The
name of the village Kambadahalli is derived from the lofty Jaina
pillar that stands near its north west corner. The pillar is one
of the most elegant in the state and has an image of seated
Brahma yaksha on its top. To the west of the pillar stands a group of
7 shrines which are perhaps some of the oldest Jaina
monuments of importance in the state. These appear to have been
constructed in at least three stages and to have undergone repairs from
time to time. They are almost completely built of
granite.
Adinatha temple is an earliest
structure and is a cross shaped trikutachala possessing three
Garbhagrihas. It has open sukanasi common navaranga with a
porch of two ankanas, the entire group facing north. The sikharas
are of various shapes, the east one being round, the north one
square and the west one octagonal. The different
faces of each of these is embellished with floral decoration and
contains an arch in the centre. Each of these shikaras again is
bulbous. These shikaras rise on a griva or neck which is well shaped and
is ornamented with pilasters. On the top of the shikara is
carved a lotus. But the Kalasha appears to be missing. The
pinnacles of these temples are very attractive, built in the Vesara, Nagara and Dravida
style of architecture, this kind of architecture cannot be found
in the whole of South India. The probable date of its
construction is 900 A.D.
The inner view of
this temple is comparatively plain except for the sculptured
images installed in it. The central or southern cell has on a
simhapitha an image of Adinathaswami of soapstone. The east
cell contains an image of Neminatha of granite seated on a simhapitha and having two male chamara bearers. In the west cell
is seated Shanthinatha carved of granite, bereft of his
simhapitha and with chamara bearers in each corner.
About ten feet in
front of the porch of the Trikutachala is a pair of twin temples
built facing each other and generally similar in character to
the central shrine of Adinatha in the Trikutachala. There
appears to have been a compound wall enclosing these five
shrines collectively known as the Panchakuta Basadi.
About twenty feet
to the north of the compound wall of this temple is another
large temple dedicated to Shanthinatha Tirthankara measuring 12
feet high. The temple was built by Boppa, the son of General
Gangaraja. The friezes of the basement is ridden with horses, elephants, wild lions and yalis. This frieze is
one of great interest, its workmanship being superior to that
occurring in any Hoysala temple. The building has no towers.
Boppa, son of Ganga Raja, the famous General of Vishnuvardhana,
may have got this temple constructed. The period of this basadi
is probably the early part of the 12th century A.D.
The Bhattaraka peeta that was redundant for more than 300 years was revived in 1998 with Swasti Sri Bhanukeerthi
Bhattaraka Swamiji as the pontiff. Inscriptions at Kambadahalli indicate
that more than 9 Bhattarakas of the Digambara ascetic order have adorned
this peetha. There is a legendary record that once there were more than 72 Jain
temples at this place. Archeological sources confirm that Kambadahalli was
previously known as Kambapuri.
---------------
Bibliography:
1. The Sacred Shravanabelagola (A
Socio-Religious) Study: Vilas A.Sangave (1981, Published by: Bharatiya
Jnanpith).
Kalyananda Haadi: Ed.Dr.Siddalinga
Pattanashetty (1999)
2. Shravanabelagola Ondhu Samikshe: Ed.
Dr.G.S.Shivarudrappa (Bangalore University Publication, 1983)
2. Shravanabelagola Srigalavara
Bashana Sangraha: Ed. A.Shantharaja Shastry (1932)
4. Gommateshvara Commemoration Volume:
Ed. Dr.T.G.Kalghatgi (Published by: S.D.J.M.I. Managing Committee Shravanabelagola,
1981)
5. Dhavala Teertha - 1995: Ed.Sri
Jeevandharkumar Hotapeti (Published by: S.D.J.M.I. Managing Committee Shravanabelagola,
1981)
5. Dhavala Teertha - 1996: Ed.Sri
Jeevandharkumar Hotapeti (Published by: S.D.J.M.I. Managing Committee Shravanabelagola,
1981)
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