Historical association of Jainism with
Karnataka dates back to the 3rd century BC.[1][2]Acharya Bhadrabahu predicted a twelve-year-long famine in north India and led the migration of Jain sangha to the south.[1] 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.[3]
Chandragupta Maurya 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.[6] Another temple named Samyakratnakara basadi situated at Mugad,
Dharwad district received a similar donation some time before 11th century CE.[6]
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.[8][9]
Jainism in North Karnataka flourished under the
Chalukyas,
Kadamba and
Rashtrakutas, and
Vijayanagara empire.[10] 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.[11]
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.[12]
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.[15]
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.[16] The association is credited with being one of the first Jain associations to start reform movements among the Jains in modern India.[17][18] The organisation mainly seeks to represent the interests of the native Jains of Maharashtra (
Marathi Jains), Karnataka (
Kannada Jains) and
Goa.
Karkala, 1. Hiriyangadi Basadi 2. Chathurmukha Basadi 3. Padmavathi Kere Basadi. The famous monolithic 42 feet (13 m)
Gommateshwara statue, the second tallest in Karnataka is also here.