Shravanabelagola
A short 148-km drive from Bangalore takes you to Shravanabelagola, a prominent Jain pilgrim centre in Hassan district. Shravanabelagola is home to Asia's largest monolithic statue - Lord Gomateswara here towers 58ft., looming atop the picturesque Vindhyagiri Hill. Every 12 years, Jain pilgrims gather here to participate in the colourful Maha Mastakabhisheka of the Lord, the splendid head-anointing ceremony. From specially erected scaffolding, priests pour hundreds of pots of curd, milk, honey, vermilion, coconut water, turmeric paste, and even gold and precious jewels over the statue's head. Endowed with a rich cultural and historical Jain legacy, Karnataka has a cluster of Jain pilgrim centres. The main ones are: Karkala and Venur with huge Gomateswara statues; Mudabidri with the Thousand Pillars Basadi; Humcha with an ancient Jain Mutt; and Narasimharajapura and Belgaum with Jain basadis.
