Saavira Kambada Temple () or Tribhuvana Tilaka Cūḍāmaṇi), is a ''basadi'' or
Jain temple
A Jain temple, Derasar (Gujarati: દેરાસર) or Basadi (Kannada: ಬಸದಿ) is the place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism. Jain architecture is essentially restricted to temples and monasteries, and Jain buildings ge ...
noted for its 1000 pillars in
Moodabidri
Moodabidri ( kn, ಮೂಡುಬಿದಿರೆ ''Mūḍubidire''; also called Mudbidri, Moodbidre and Bedra), is a town and taluk in Dakshina Kannada district. It lies 34 km northeast of the district headquarters, Mangalore, in Karna ...
,
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The temple is also known as "Chandranatha Temple" since it honours the
tirthankara
In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a 'ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the ''dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable passag ...
Chandraprabha
Chandraprabha () is the eighth Tirthankara of ''Avasarpini'' (present half cycle of time as per Jain cosmology). Chandraprabhu was born to King Mahasena and Queen Lakshmana Devi at Chandrapuri to the Ikshvaku dynasty. According to Jain texts ...
, whose eight-foot idol is worshipped in the shrine.
The town of Moodabidri is noted for its 18 Jain temples, but Saavira Kambada Temple is considered the finest among them. The temple is considered an architectural wonder and is a major attraction of Moodabidri.
History
The Basadi was built by the local chieftain, Devaraya Wodeyar in 1430 and took 31 years to complete, additions to temples were made in 1962. The shrine has a 50 feet tall monolith
manasthambha
A manastambha (Sanskrit for 'column of honour') is a pillar that is often constructed in front of Jain temples or large Jain statues. In North India, they are topped by four Tirthankara images.
According to the ''Digambara'' Jain texts like ''Ad ...
erected by Karkala Bhairava Queen Nagala Devi.
Architecture
![Pillar at night](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Pillar_at_night.jpg)
The temple is considered an architectural wonder. The temple is full of elaborate sculptures and decoration. The doorway of the temple has intricate carvings and is enclosed with ornate walls. The massive pillars of the temple are carved to resemble an octagonal wooden log with one baring inscription. The 1000 pillars with exquisite detail, support the temple and no two pillars are alike. The sloping roof of
veranda
A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure.
Although the form ''veran ...
are made of wood coated with copper tiles resembling the temples of Nepal. The temple complex has seven
mandapa
A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture.
Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...
s supported by beautifully carved pillars built in the Vijayanagara style. The main mandapa of the temple consists of two interconnected column halls. The fourth mandapa houses a sculpture of Bhairavadevi.
The top two storeys are carved in wood and the lowest one in stone.
The hall interiors are massive, with elaborately decorated columns and a door flanked by two protector deities. The wooden panels inside the temples have carvings of Tirthankara flanked by elephants, guardian deities and female attendants holding flowers. Several bronze Jain idols in ornated frames are placed inside the garbhagriha. The 8 ft idol of Chandranatha Swami made of
panchadhatu
''Panchaloha'' ( sa, पञ्चलोह), also called ''Pañcadhātu'' ( sa, पञ्चधातु, lit=five metals), is a term for traditional five-metal alloys of sacred significance, used for making Hindu temple ''murti'' and jewelry.
...
present in the
garbha griha
A ''garbhagriha'' or ''sannidhanam'' is the ''sanctum sanctorum'', the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu and Jain temples where resides the ''murti'' (idol or icon) of the primary deity of the temple. In Jainism, the main deity is known as the ''M ...
. The temple are built similar to temples in
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
. The interiors of the temple are richly and variedly carved. A large number of tombs of
Jain monks
Jain monasticism refers to the order of monks and nuns in the Jain community and can be divided into two major denominations: the ''Digambara'' and the ''Śvētāmbara''. The monastic practices of the two major sects vary greatly, but the maj ...
are present near the temple premise. The
manastambha
A manastambha (Sanskrit for 'column of honour') is a pillar that is often constructed in front of Jain temples or large Jain statues. In North India, they are topped by four Tirthankara images.
According to the ''Digambara'' Jain texts like ''A ...
in front of the temple is noteworthy. The pillars inside the hall bear carvings of
dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
and
giraffe
The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa''. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, ''Giraffa camelopardalis ...
resulting from the influence of trade with
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
in 15th century. The image of ''Nandishwar-dweep'' dated 16th century is notable.
Saavira Kambada Basadi along with
Shravanabelagola
Shravanabelagola () is a town located near Channarayapatna of Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is from Bengaluru. The Gommateshwara Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola is one of the most important tirthas (pilgrimage des ...
,
Kamal Basadi
Kamal Basadi is a Jain temple located inside Belgaum Fort in city of Belgaum, Karnataka.
History
The Kamal Basadi was built by Birchiraja, also called Jaya Raya, an officer in the court of Kartavirya IV of Ratta dynasty in CE under the guida ...
and
Brahma Jinalaya
The Brahma Jinalaya, sometimes called as the Greater Jain Temple of Lakkundi, is an early 11th-century Mahavira temple in Lakkundi, Gadag District of Karnataka state, India. The temple is attributed to Attiyabbe (Danacintamani Attimbbe), the wif ...
are considerest the most important Jain centers in Karnataka.
Other Jain Temples in Moodabidri
Guru Basadi
Guru basadi is the earliest of the Jain monuments built in 714 AD. A black stone idol of Parshwanatha, about tall, is installed in the sanctum of this basadi. The temples also house 12th-century Jain palm leaf manuscripts known as ‘Dhavala texts’ are preserved. These texts were brought from
shravanabelagola
Shravanabelagola () is a town located near Channarayapatna of Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is from Bengaluru. The Gommateshwara Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola is one of the most important tirthas (pilgrimage des ...
to here during the
Mughal invasion. This basadi is also called Siddantha Basadi and Hale Basadi.
Other
Moodabidri is noted for its 18 Jain Temples mentioned as follows:
* Bagada Basadi
* Settara Basadi
* Hire Basadi
*
Guru Basadi
Guru Basadi is a ''basadi'' or Jain temple located in Moodabidri town in the Indian state of Karnataka. The Guru basadi is the oldest amongst 18 Jain basadis in Moodabidri built in 714 CE. This temple is near the another famous Jain temple, Saav ...
* Leppada Basadi
* Kallu Basadi
* Batkana-Thikari Basadi
* Pathshala Basadi
* Padu Basadi
*
Kere Basadi
Kere Basadi (meaning: Lake temple) or Chaturmukha Basadi is a Jain temple located in Varanga village in Udupi district of Karnataka, India. This 12th-century temple is situated amidst of a lake giving it the name Kere Basadi (lake temple). The ...
* Hosa Basadi
* Bitkeri Basadi
* Vikram Shetty Basadi
* Mahadeva Shetty Basadi
* Chola Shetty Basadi
* Koti Shetty Basadi
* Derma Shetty Basadi
* Ammanavara Basadi
Moodabidri Jain Math
There is a
matha
A ''matha'' (; sa, मठ, ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism. at Moodabidri responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of temples in Moodabidri. It is known as the Jain
Varanasi
Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.
*
*
*
* The city has a syncretic t ...
of the South.
Bhaṭṭāraka Charukeerthi
A
bhaṭṭāraka seat exists at Moodabidri responsible for administering the 18 temples at Moodabidri and the other temples in the surrounding areas. The name given to the bhaṭṭāraka of Moodabidri is ''Charukeerthi''.
In popular culture
The temple is listed as one of the temples in the
Fodor's
Fodor's is a publisher of English language travel and tourism information. Fodor's Travel and Fodors.com are divisions of Internet Brands.
History
Founder Eugene Fodor was a keen traveler, but felt that the guidebooks of his time were boring ...
"India's Jain Temples Are Incredible Architectural Marvels" series.
Gallery
File:Mahavir-Jain-Fame-1000-Pillar-Temple-_Moodbidri.JPG, Idol of Chandraprabha, 8th Thirthankara
File:3-Lokas-Wall-Painting-In-Jain-Basadi-Moodbidri.JPG, Painting depicting universe as per Jain cosmology
Jain cosmology is the description of the shape and functioning of the Universe (''loka'') and its constituents (such as living beings, matter, space, time etc.) according to Jainism. Jain cosmology considers the universe as an uncreated entity t ...
File:Eratuvare-Dweepa-Wall-Painting-In-Jain-Basadi-Moodbidri.JPG, Painting depicting Jambudvipa
File:Kalpavruksha-Wall-Painting-In-Jain-Basadi-Moodbidri.JPG, Painting depicting Kalpavriksha
Kalpavriksha () is a wish-fulfilling divine tree in Indian religions, like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. Its earliest descriptions are mentioned in Sanskrit literature. It is also a popular theme in Jain cosmology and Buddhism. ...
File:National-Archaeological-Monument-Jain-Tomb-Monument-Moodbidri (cropped).jpg, Tombs of Jain monk near the temple
File:Thousand Piller Temple - Back Side View.jpg, Savira Kambada Basadi - Back side View
File:Thousand Piller Temple - View from Back Side.jpg, Thousand Pillar Temple View from back Side
File:Thousand Piller Temple - Aerial View.jpg, Thousand Piller Temple - Aerial View
See also
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Chaturmukha Basadi
*
Jain Bunt
The Jain Bunt are the Jainists of Bunt caste from Tulunaad area of India. It has been said that the Jain Bunts also have the highest per capita income in India. They have a feudal and martial race heritages, because of ties to the erstwhile r ...
*
Jainism in Karnataka
Karnataka, a state in South India has a long association with Jainism, a religion which enjoyed patronage of major historic kingdoms in the state such as the Rastrakuta Dynasty, Western Ganga, Kadamba and Chalukya dynasties and the Hoysala E ...
References
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External links
{{Authority control
Jain temples in Karnataka
15th-century Jain temples