Shravanabelagola a major holiday attraction in Karnataka is famous for the statue of Lord Gomateswara also called the Bahubali statue. This statue is 58 ft tall and carved out of a single granite block. It is believed to be the tallest monolithic stone statue in the world. The statue attracts many tourists and travelers from around the world every year. This place is a very important pilgrimage destination for Jains, and there are a lot of Jain temples you can see in this area.
Lord Gomateshwara was the son of the first Jain Tirthankara, Lord Adinatha. Apart from this wonderful statue, this place also has some beautiful hills to explore. Chandragiri and Vindhyagiri hills surround the place and offer several interesting trails for trekking and camping around the area. You can also hire a palanquin to enjoy the view from the hill top without doing all the walking.
The other major attraction here is the Bhandari Basadi Temple which is the largest temple in Shravanabelagola built in 1126 by the treasurer of the Hoysala Kings. If you are lucky, you can witness the Mahamastakabhisheka of Lord Bahubali, which happens once every 12 years.
The best time to visit Shravanabelagola is from October to April. Planning a trip at this time is ideal for exploring the various attractions and going on camping trips and trekking expeditions. Temperatures soar during summers ranging between 30°C to 35°C making it difficult to go out for sightseeing. In monsoon, you might find a bit of rain, which makes going out hard but the visual appeal of this place gets more beautiful after the rains. Ganesh Chaturthi held in July or August is celebrated with great gusto in Shravanabelagola.
