Aarush and I returned from Durg just a day before Santanu’s birthday. He was looking for an excuse to unwind after a strenuous week at IIM-B, and we ended up planning a visit to Shravanabelagola right after Diwali. Unlike his previous trip, he casually glanced at the route map to Shravanabelagola, a religious spot and a Jain pilgrimage center famous for its 58ft. high monolithic stone statue of Lord Gommateshwara.
Our journey started at 6:30 AM, with the road from Yeshvantapur to Neelamangala riddled with potholes due to ongoing flyover construction. We took two U-turns and had to ask locals for directions. We finally found the right road (NH-48) but it, too, was filled with potholes. We stopped for breakfast at Hotel Mayura along the way, and it was almost 11 AM by the time we reached there. Aarush had a great time at their play area.
Continuing our journey, we reached Shravanabelagola without much trouble, as the roads were properly marked. The two stony hills, Chandragiri and Indragiri, on either side with a lake in between make this a famous Jain pilgrimage center. Just inside the gate, you’ll find a paid toilet and a shoe stand, where you must leave your shoes before climbing the hill on foot. There are around 660 steps to the top, cut into the rock. People of all ages ascend these steps, but for the elderly or handicapped, there’s a palanquin transport service available to avoid the strenuous hike. Some of these rock-cut steps are steep, and we wore socks to protect our feet from the hot rock. We took our time climbing, stopping occasionally to catch our breath and take pictures. It took about 30-40 minutes to reach the top, where we enjoyed breathtaking views of the Chandragiri temple and the lake in between. The enormous statue of Bahubali and the surrounding scenery were stunning. Carved from a single block of rock, the statue exhibits an accurate sense of proportion and expression. In the corridor around the quadrangle, you can find figures of all 42 Tirthankaras. The descent was more enjoyable, as we had gravity on our side, but it was equally steep, so we needed to be careful!
It took about 30 minutes to reach the base of Vindhyagiri. There are numerous homely Marwari/Jain food options available in the nearby lane on the left as you enter from the gate. I strongly recommend planning your lunch either here for a different experience or, better yet, having a free lunch at the Official bhojanalay. There’s a small by-lane next to the gate on the inner side, leading to the Dharamshala with a large gate where, after giving a donation, you can enjoy a meal served to you multiple times in rows.
After having lunch, we visited the place where Chandragupta breathed his last, called Chandragiri (Chikkabetta) hill. It’s a small hill located opposite to Vindhyagiri hill and has memorials to numerous monks and shravakas who meditated there. Steps have been carved into this hill, and the ascent is similar to Vindhyagiri. After spending time there until 4:00 PM, we began our journey back home via Mandya. Aarush fell asleep as soon as the car started moving. The road via Mandya was better, with less traffic and no potholes. Aarush woke up the next day around 9 AM, a record we still fondly remember.
TIP: Carry a pair of socks to avoid having to buy them there. The sun’s brightness can make the rocks hot, making it nearly impossible to climb barefoot.