Chandragiri

Site plan of temples.

1- Chamundaraya Basti

2-Shasana Basti

3-Kattale Basti

4-Chandragupta Basti 5-Parshvanatha Basti

6-Shantinatha Basti

7-Savati Gandhavarana Basti, Built In 1123 By Queen Shantal Devi. Wife Of A Hoysala King. Inscriptions67.

Chamundaraya Basti. Late tenth century. “This granite structure is a perfect specimen of Ganga workmanship and of Dravidian architectural features.(…) We find here some of the finest creations of the Indian artist. A maiden brimming with adolescence, beauty and innocence is one amog them” (Settar).

 (below). One of the nishidi pillars on Chandragiri commemorating men and women who died a vol- untary death on this hill by the rite of sallekhana.

Yakshi Kushmandini, the patron goddess of Shravanabelagola. Later in date than Chamundaraya Basti in which she flanks a Jina.

Bhandari Basti with Indragiri in the background, c 1159; dedicated to the twenty-four Tirthankaras and accordingly also known as ‘Chaturvimshati Tirthankara Basti’. It is the largest temple at Shravana- belagola. The about one metre high figures of the 24 Jinas stand in line on a raised pedestal at the far end of the inner temple hall.

The last three Jinas in the row of twenty-four: Neminatha, Parshvanatha and Mahavira.

Plan of Shravanabelagola Town.

1-Akkana Basti   2-Sidhanata Basti

3-Danashala Basti  4-Mangayi Basti

5-Bhandari Basti  6-Gurukula

Shravanabelagola main square. In the rear the Matha Temple, annexed to it the residence of the Bhattaraka. The manastambha faces the Bhandari Basti. On certain holy days a small gilded statue of Bahubali is carried through the town accompanied by players of wind instruments.

View from Chandragiri towards Indragiri with the beacon-like statue of Bahubali on top.

Detail of a mural in the Digambara Matha Temple at Shravanabelagola depicting scenes from the life of Parshvanatha.

Shantishvara Basti at the village of Jinanathapura, about 400 m north of Chandragiri temple- complex. End of twelfth century. This Basti “is one of the great glories of Jaina art in the area, and is the only temple built in the ornate Hoysala manner” (Suryu Doshi Homage to Shravana Belgola, 1981: 93).

(above). Shantishvara Basti, detail of external wall.

Plan of tha above tempie.