What is gomteshwara?

Gomateshwara is a famous and revered Jain pilgrimage site located in the town of Shravanabelagola in the Hassan district of Karnataka, India. It is known for its massive statue of Bahubali, a revered Jain monk who is considered an exemplar of contemplation and renunciation.

The statue at Shravanabelagola is one of the largest free-standing statues in the world, standing at a height of 58 feet and carved out of a single block of granite. The statue was erected in the 10th century AD by the Ganga dynasty king Chamundaraya, who was a devout Jain and wanted to create a symbol of Jain asceticism and detachment.

The Gomateshwara statue is revered by Jains as a symbol of asceticism and self-restraint, and serves as an important site of pilgrimage for Jains from around the world. Every twelve years, a major festival called Mahamastakabhisheka is held at the site, during which the statue is anointed with various ritual offerings and thousands of pilgrims come to pay their respects.