Jainism in Karnataka

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File:Idol of Bhagwan Neminath 20250816 072740505.MP.jpg
Idol of Bhagwan Neminath at Ancient Jain Basadi, Gerusoppa, Karnataka

Template:Jainism Karnataka, a state in South India has a long association with Jainism, a religion which enjoyed patronage of major historic kingdoms in the state such as the Rastrakuta Dynasty, Western Ganga, Kadamba and Chalukya dynasties and the Hoysala Empire. Today the state is home to a number of Jain monuments, such as temples, Gommata statues and stambhas.

History

Historical association of Jainism with Karnataka dates back to the 3rd century BC.Template:Sfn[1] Acharya Bhadrabahu predicted a twelve-year-long famine in north India and led the migration of Jain sangha to the south.Template:Sfn He was accompanied by his disciple Chandragupta Maurya and the Sangha halted at Chandragiri Hill. Realising that he was nearing the end of his life, Bhadrabahu instructed his disciples to spread the religion and he undertook sallekhana at Chandragiri.[2] However, this account has little authenticity due to the contradiction it offers to Darshansaar, an earlier Digambara text. Two major texts Template:En dash 10th century CE text Darshansaar by Devasena, a Digambara ascetic, and 14th century CE text Bhadrabahu-charitra by Ratnanandi, also a Digambara ascetic, have completely different accounts of how the Śvētāmbara sect was created. While the previous story mentions that the Śvētāmbara sect was created in 298 BCE by Sthulabhadra, the former text mentions that it was created in Vallabhi 136 years after Vikramaditya's death and by a monk named Jinacandra. Not only the time periods, but also the location of the sect's creation and installation, as well as the name of the originator differs in both these records.[3]

Chandragupta Maurya apparently continued to live on this hill worshipping the foot prints of his teacher and later he too took Sallekhana. There are two monuments on the hill recalling this event, a rock cut cave called Bhadrabahu cave and a structural shrine called the Chandragupta Basadi.[4]

Architecture and monuments

There are a number of monuments relating to the Jain religion in Karnataka. The Jain monuments include smaller shrines, Jain temples (known as Bastis or Basadis), Gommata statues and Sthambas (pillars). Moodabidri is home to the 1000 Pillar Jain temple.[5] The Ganga-Permadi temple at Annigeri in Navalgund taluq received donation of land from mahasamanta Katarsa in 1074 CE for maintenance of charity-houses.Template:Sfn Another temple named Samyakratnakara basadi situated at Mugad, Dharwad district received a similar donation some time before 11th century CE.Template:Sfn

The most prominent among them are as follows:[6]

Basadis (Bastis)

Statues of Gommata

Template:Main Shravanabelagola has the world famous monolithic statue, Gommateshwara statue. Similar Monolithic statues of Lord Bahubali can be also seen in Venur, Dharmasthala, Karkala and Mysore.

There are five monolithic statues of Bahubali in Karnataka measuring more than 20 feet in height.Template:Citation needed

In all of the above-mentioned places, the holy festival of Mahamastakabhisheka is held once every 12 years when the statue of Bahubali is worshiped and bathed in holy water, milk, turmeric, and other natural herbs that have their own significant importance.[7][8]

Jainism in North Karnataka

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File:Jain temple at Lakkundi built in the Kalyani Chalukya style.jpg
Brahma Jinalaya at Lakkundi
File:Jain Narayana temple at Pattadakal.JPG
Jain Narayana temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Jainism in North Karnataka flourished under the Chalukyas, Kadamba and Rashtrakutas, and Vijayanagara Empire.[9] Imbued with an intense religious feeling, lavish patronage was extended towards the building of basadis, temples and magnificent statues. Jainism enjoyed the highest repute among the people particularly the ruling classes and the mercantile community thus virtually becoming the state religion.

The earliest dated structure is a Basadi at Halasi built under the Kadamba Dynasty of Banavasi thus laying the foundation for Jain architecture in North Karnataka. Rastrakutas period is the golden age of Jainism in Karnataka. The Jaina monuments of the Rashtrakutas period are found at Pattadakal, Malkhed, Lakshmeshwar, Koppal, Bankur, of North Karnataka. Jainism exerted considerable influence over the cultural life of Karnataka during the rule of the Rashtrakutas.[10]

Kadambas of Banavasi were known to be patrons of Jainism. After the rule of the Kadambas of Banavasi most parts of north Karnataka came under the rule of the early Chalukya or Badami Chalukyas.Template:Sfn

The Chalukyas of Badami built cave temples at Badami, Pattadkal and Aihole. Puligere (modern Lakshmeshwara) was a strong centre of religious activities of the Jain monks during this era.Template:Sfn

Lakkundi in Gadag District has a large Brahma Jinalaya of Chalukya style, built by a noble lady, Attimabbe.Template:Sfn

Navagraha Jain Temple at Varur near Hubli is one of the major pilgrimage. The temple features a 61 feet (18.6 m) tall monolithic idol of the Shri 1008 Bhagavan Parshvanatha and the smaller statues of the other 8 Jain teerthankaras.[11]

Religious organisations

Template:Main The Dakshin Bharat Jain Sabha is a religious and social service organisation of the Jains of South India. The organisation is headquartered at Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.[12] The association is credited with being one of the first Jain associations to start reform movements among the Jains in modern India.[13][14] The organisation mainly seeks to represent the interests of the native Jains of Maharashtra (Marathi Jains), Karnataka (Kannada Jains) and Goa.

List of famous temples

File:Chandragiri hill temple complex at Shravanabelagola.jpg
Chandragiri Hill Temple Complex, Shravanbelgola
File:Chaturmukha Basadi.jpg
Chaturmukha Basadi
File:Old jain temple belgaum (1).jpg
Kamal Basadi
File:Profile of the Parshvanatha basadi (1133 AD) at Halebidu.JPG
Parshvanath Basadi, Halebidu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
File:Badami, Höhle 4, Bahubali (1999).jpg
Bahubali in Badami cave temples
Cave temples
Main temples

Notable Karnataka Jains

Justice R.S.Mahendra

See also

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References

Citation

  1. ↑ Jainism in Early Medieval Karnataka{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers(2008). ISBN 9788120833234
  2. ↑ A place soaked in religion. Retrieved 2006-11-23.
  3. ↑ दर्शनसार | Darshansar | Darshansaar | दर्शन सार | Darshan sar | Darshan saar{{#if:Aacharya Shri Devsen Swami|, Aacharya Shri Devsen Swami}
  4. ↑ Karnataka's hotbed of Jain religion. Retrieved 2006-11-25.
  5. ↑ Moodbidri — woods of yore. The Hindu(24 April 2005). Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  6. ↑ Documentation Update: October 2004 to March 2005. EQUATIONS.
  7. ↑ Pilgrimage Centres of India. Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd.(2003).
  8. ↑ Travel House Guide to Incredible India. Har Anand Publications(2004).
  9. ↑ The Jain Legacy In Karnataka. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
  10. ↑ Karnataka's Rich Heritage - Art and Architecture. Notion Press(2016).
  11. ↑ Hubli gets magnificent ‘jinalaya’. The Hindu, 6 January 2009.
  12. ↑ People of India: Maharashtra - Kumar Suresh Singh{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Popular Prakashan(2004). ISBN 9788179911006
  13. ↑ The Assembly of Listeners: Jains in Society{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Cambridge University Press(4 April 1991). ISBN 9780521365055
  14. ↑ A World Religions Reader{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. John Wiley & Sons(26 May 2009). ISBN 9781405171090

Sources

Template:Jain temples Template:Karnataka topics Template:Jainism Topics

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