Vindyagiri is one of the two hills in

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 de ...

in the

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 ...

n state of

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 ...

. The other one being

Chandragiri Chandragiri is a suburb and neighbourhood of Tirupati and located in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a part of Tirupati urban agglomeration and a major growing residential area in Tirupati It is the mandal headqua ...

History

Vindhyagiri is first referred to as "Per kavappu" (Large - Kalbappu) in 8th Century, but its history begins with that of Gommateshwara in the Late 10th century. A century and half later the town is named Gommatapura, after the colossus, but the hill itself is not identified with a distinctive name. The present name "Vindhyagiri" is said to be derived from vim, spirit and dhya, meditation, as being the spot consecrated by rishis observed in the meditation on the supreme spirit.

Geography

The hill is located about 3,288 Feet from Mean sea Level and 438 Feet above the ground.

Importance

The colossus of

Bahubali Bahubali (), a much revered figure among Jains, was the son of Rishabadeva (the first ''tirthankara'' of Jainism) and the brother of Bharata Chakravartin. He is said to have meditated motionless for a year in a standing posture (''kayotsarg ...

at the summit dominates the valley. Jain mythology informs us that the first colossus of Bahubali was installed by Bharata at Paudanapura, it is described to be about 525 spans (Maru - about a meter) high. The 58' 8" high Bahubali image on the Large Hill with 438' high granite mass forming its pedestal. In 981 A.D.,

Chavundaraya Chavundraya or Chamundaraya (Kannada ''Cāmuṇḍarāya, Cāvuṇḍarāya'', 940–989) was an Indian military commander, architect, poet and minister. He served in the court of the Western Ganga dynasty of Talakad (in modern Karnataka, In ...

, a Ganga minister converted a tor standing at the summit into a colossus. Choosing a strategic opening between boulders, he also constructed a gateway (the present Akhanda Bagilu) with a large Gajalakshmi panel adorning its upper portion. Odegal basadi is the largest basadi on Vindhyagiri hill. The temple derives the name from 'Odega', i.e., soapstone used for strengthening the walls of the temple. The temple houses image of Rishabhanatha, Neminatha and Shantinatha.

Notes

References

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External links