HYDERABAD: Our next destination was Shravanabelagola, an important Jain pilgrimage destination, 158 kms from Bangalore. The train halted at Hassan, and after a sumptuous breakfast, we left in the luxury coach, to the Vindyagiri Hill.After climbing 680 steps (the steps were small and easy to climb) we saw the enormous statue of Gomateshwara, also called Bahubali ( I mean, the original one: for those who are much used to the Telugu mega film starring Prabhas, this may come as a surprise!!). At 57 feet, it is considered world’s largest monolithic stone statue. Once in twelve years, thousands of devotees congregate here to perform the Mahamastakabhisheka, a spectacular ceremony in which the gigantic statue is bathed in milk, curds, ghee, saffron, sandal paste and gold coins.
The next such event will be held in 2018. Bahubali was known for the immense strength of his arm: ‘Bahu’ meaning arm and’ bali’ meaning strength. His story exemplifies the inner strength of the Indian philosophy. Though he defeated his brother in the fight for power, he gave up the kingdom and all the worldly pleasures to become an ascetic. Bahubali is considered an ideal man who conquered selfishness, jealousy, pride and anger. Belonging to the Digambara sect, Bahubali was the first human in this half time cycle to attain liberation.
Providing the best of comforts, the Mapple group ensured that we enjoyed every moment of our stay. On board there was entertainment like tambola, henna session, cookery demonstration, Bollywood dance, etc., something to look forward to, everyday.
Close to Hassan are the two famous tourist destinations, Belur and Halebidu. We visited both of them and saw some of the finest sculpture in India. Halebidu was the 12th century capital of the Hoysalas. There are two Hindu temples in the complex, Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara and two Jain places of worship. The temple walls are covered with an endless variety of depictions from the Hindu mythology, animals, birds and Shilabalikas or dancing figurines.
No two sculptures of the temple are the same in the Hoysaleswara temple. Guarded by a monolithic Nandi, it was never completed despite 86 years of labour. Invaded twice by the Bahmani sultanate, many sculptures are disfigured by Malik Kafur and his armies. There was a dance floor on which Queen Shantala used to make her dance offerings to the deity in front of the sanctum sanctorum.
Just 16 kms away is the equally beautiful Belur temple. It was built by king Vishnuvardhana in commemoration of his victory over the Cholas. It is believed to have taken 103 years to complete. The facade of the temple is filled with intricate sculptures and friezes. Inside the temple there are a number of ornate pillars. ‘Darpana Sundari ’ ( lady with the mirror) on the outer wall of the temple is a very famous and beautiful sculpture, that is much admired. Jakkanachari, a sculptor is said to have carved most of the sculptures in the temple.
Lunches and dinners were much looked forward to, by all the guests. Prepared by dedicated staff, in the clean kitchens, our eating expeditions on the Golden Chariot were as exciting as the historical ones. For dieters too, they would take special orders and cook food to specifications, like fat free, gluten free, sugar free, etc.
Going back in history, looking at all the architectural wonders and sculptural beauties, I felt proud of my country and its heritage.
Especially, when foreigners used to admire the works, my heart would swell with pride. Many of them are in love with India and made a number of visits already. But in many of these temples, the idols are missing, plundered by the Muslim invaders. Beautiful statues without arms or legs and some with disfigured faces used to gape at us, making a sad picture. From the Hoysala kingdom, the Golden Chariot then moved majestically to the Vijaya Nagar Empire.........
Fordetails: http://www.goldenchariot.org/