#SUMMARYARCHEOLOGICALSURVEYINDIA
#GOMMATESHWARASTATUE
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Its a summary of the Archaeological Survey of India about the Gommateshwara Statue in Karkala, Karnataka. Karkala, part of the Tulu region, was once ruled by the Alupas and later came under the Kalasa-Karkala rulers, who were feudatories of the Vijayanagara Empire. Jainism became popular in this region during their rule, and many Jain temples (Basadis) and monolithic sculptures were built.
About the Statue:
The Gommateshwara (Bahubali) statue at Karkala was built in 1432 A.D. by King Virapandya of the Kalasa-Karkala kingdom on the advice of his preceptor Lalithakirti.
The statue is 42 feet tall and stands on a 5-foot-high platform.
It is carved out of a single granite rock and situated on a hill called Ramasamudra. The area is surrounded by a stone railing and enclosed by a high cloistered wall (prakara).
The statue represents Bahubali, a revered Jain saint, shown in the Kayotsarga (standing meditation) posture, symbolizing renunciation and peace. It displays traditional Jain iconographic features (Mahapurusha Lakshanas) like:
Elongated ears
Palms reaching down to the knees
Curly hair
Creepers entwining around the arms and legs, signifying his long meditation in the forest. The Karkala Gommateshwara is the second largest monolithic statue after the one at Shravanabelagola, and it is an important site for Jain pilgrims.
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