Shravanbelagola, located 51 km south-east of Hassan in Karnataka is one of the most important Jain pilgrim centers of India. In the local language, Kannada “Bel” means white and “kola”, the pond, an allusion to the beautiful pond in the middle of the town. The Statue of the Jain saint Gommateshwara (AD 981)carved out of a mountain, said to be one of the tallest and most graceful statues in the world, is situated in this small town atop the Indragiri hills. The colossal monolithic statue is 58 ft high, with 26 ft wide shoulders, 10-ft of its feet. Starkingly simple, the beautifully chiseled features of this statue embody serenity. 1028 years old, the statue which is reached by climbing 700 steps carved in the steep granite slope, is symbolic of the renunciation of worldly possessions. It was sculpted by Aristanemi and Chamundaraya, a general and minister of the Ganga King Rachamatta installed the idol.The Pratishthapana-consecration ceremony- of the great heritage image installed by Chamundaray was took place on Sunday, 13th March, 981 CE from 3.12 am to 5.06 pm from sunrise to sunset. The sculptor’s conception was that of an ascetic wrapped in inner contemplation so profound as to be unconscious of the serpents about his feet or the plants winding their tendril around his mighty arms. It looks as bright and clean as just emerged from the chisel of the artisan and has not been injured by over 1000 years of wind or weather.
