Shravanabelagola is an important Jain pilgrimage destination located in the Hassan district of Indian state Karnataka. Shravanabelgola is 144 km away from Banglore and 83km from Mysuru. Shravanabelagola is made up of words Shravan, Bela and Gola which means” white Pond”. The town is named after a white pond located in the middle of the city.  

The statue of Gommateshvara Bahubali is the main pilgrimage site for Jains. This statue of Bahubali is the world’s tallest monolithic stone statue. It’s a 58 ft high statue carved from the single block of Granite. The Gomateswara temple is built on top of Vindhyagiri hill at an altitude of 3347 feet. To reach the top of the hill, about 600 steps have to be passed.

The Place is famous as Lord Bahubali attained salvation over here. According to Jain mythology, Lord Gomateshwara (Lord Bahubali) was the son of the first Jain Tirthankara named Lord Adinatha. Bahubali and Bharatha were brothers who fought over the kingdom but Bharatha lost this battle. But Bahubali gave the kingdom to his brother and then attained kevalgyana or salvation.

Every twelve years, thousands of devotees gather here to conduct the Mahamastakabhisheka, a magnificent ceremony in which the statue is ordained with water, turmeric, sandalwood paste, gold and silver flower. Last Mahamastakabhisheka was done in 2018 and next will be held in 2030.

There are several historical basadis within the town as well. Chamundaraya Basadi, Odegal Basadi, Bandhara Basadi, Aregal Basadi, Parshwanatha Basadi, and Halebelagola are the other important pilgrimage sites near the temple.

Best time to Visit Shravanabelagola

The best time to visit Shravanabelagola is from the months of October to March i.e. winter season. The place experiences monsoon between the months of June to September.

How to Reach Shravanbelagola

The closest international airport is Bengaluru International airport which is a 4.5-hour drive away from the town.

The nearest railway station is located in Shravanabelagola. It links the town with important destinations in India like Bangalore, Pune, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Lucknow, and Delhi.