Karkala........

Karkala situated about 35
kms. from Udupi, is the
headquarters of the
Karkala Taluk. About, 52
kms. north-east of
Mangalore, is known
primarily for the statue of
Lord Bahubali
(Gomateshwara). The 45-
feet tall statue is estimated
to weigh 80 tons. Besides
its colossal size, the
Karkala statue is rendered
more striking by its
situation on the top of a
huge granite rock, 300 feet
high, on the verge of a
picturesque little lake. This
image was erected by a
Jain king in 1432, in
memory of Bahubali (the
first Tirthankara) who
renounced the world at his
most victorious moment.
Just opposite to this image
there is a Jain 'Basadi'
known as 'Chaturmukha
Basadi' which is built of
granite. In front of this
temple, there is a
beautifully carved pillar
called Manasthamhha
which is nearly 50 feet
high. It is the most
beautiful and tallest of 11
Manasthambhas. Like
Moodabidri, there are 18
temples at Karkala. The
monolith of Gomateshwara
formed the nucleus
around which the Jain
Math and Basadis sprang
up. They draw 3 streams of
devotees, lovers of art and
students of history.
Revered by Jains the world
over, the statue of
Gomateshwara stands as a
true symbol of their faith. Five such statues can be
found in Karnataka, the
most famous of which
stands majestically in
Shravanabelagola, (near
Hassan, 230 kms from
Mangalore). Installed in
981 A.D., it is 1000 years
old. Karkala (400 years
old), Venur (300 years old)
, Dharmasthala and
Gomatagiri possess the
other four. Though not as
impressive in size or finish
as the one in
Shravanabelagola, they
nevertheless exude an
aura of their own. Apart
from their size, the statues
are remarkable for the
values that they represent-
the triumph of man over
physical desires Bahubali
symbolizes renunciation
and peace. Though he
could have remained a
monarch with all wealth
and enjoyments, he still
chose to renounce
everything and became an
ascetic.
Describing the
Gomateshwara, Walhouse
writes in Frazer's
Magazine: "Upon the
outskirts of the town.... the
enchanted castles of fairy
tales came back to mind,
for on the top is seen a
castle like wall pierced with
a wide-arched entrance,
and a dark gigantic form
towering over it waist
high...the image 45 feet in
height. Nude, cut from a
single mass of granite,
darkened by the monsoons
of centuries, the vast
statue stands upright with
hands hanging straight, in
a posture of somewhat
stiff but simple dignity.
The hair grows in close
crisp curls; the broad
fleshy cheeks might make
the face seem heavy. were
it not for the marked and
dignified expression
conferred by calm,
forward-gazing eyes and
aquiline nose, somewhat
pointed at tip...The arms
which touch the body only
at the hips are remarkably
long, the large well-formed
hands, and fingers
reaching to knees."
The Tourist Home in
Karkala provides
accommodation to the
pilgrims.
The famous Venkatramana
temple, the abode of Lord
Srinivasa, is a place of
pilgrimage for Gowda
Saraswat Brahmins. This
place is known as "Padu
Tirupati".
On the outskirts of the
Karkala town, stands the
shrine of St. Lawrence at
Attur. The St. Lawrence
Church has remarkably
rich history.It is said that
the Attur-Karkala parish
was founded even before
1759 A.D.
St. Lawrence of Attur being
widely acclaimed as having
the power to intercede
with God, it is of little
wonder that the shrine
attracts not only the
residents of Udupi District
but also pilgrims from all
parts of India.