Karkala, a town in Karnataka's Udupi district, is home to a number of historically notable Jain temples or basadis, including the architecturally prominent and unique Chaturmukha Basadi. Chaturmukha Basadi is a symmetrical Jain temple that gets its name from the four similar doors that lead to the Garbhagriha in four directions different directions - north, east, south, and west. The Basadi was dedicated in 1432 by Vira Pandya Deva, the Bhairava family's king, and finished in 1586 by Immadi Bhairava (Bhairava II). This architectural marvel was produced over the course of 30 years by various sculptors.
Architecture of the Chaturmukha Basadi
The plan of Chaturmukha Basadi is unique in that it is open
on all four sides (chaturmukha). In silpasatra literature, it is also known as
Sarvatobhadra. Such temples are one-of-a-kind.
A garbhagriha,
antaralas (vestibule), navarangas, and four entrances with flight of steps make
up the Chaturmukha basadi. The entire temple is built around a star-shaped
crypt that offers open circumbulatory travel. The outside walls have ornate
niches with gods and goddesses in them. There are also some jalandhras.
The four entrance doorways are identical, and the lintel is
carved with a seated tirthankara. High relief sculptures of dvarapalas,
well-dressed and standing in dvibhanga, may be found on either side. Sculptures
can be found in the devakoshthas with Dravida and Kadamba Nagara sikharas.
There is no longer a roof covering the entire structure.
The Chaturmukha Basadi's interior features navarangas, with
four prominent pillars in the enclosure's centre. As a result, the Vijayanagara
type's sixteen pillars are around 10 feet tall. The antarala, which is a very
thick wall, separates Navaranga from the rest of the world. They also have gods
and goddesses housed in ornate niches.
Although the southern
entryway features Gajalakshmi on its lintel, the three lintels of the doors
have sitting tirthankaras. Then there are four antaralas, each with two pillars
that are ornamented. There are a total of eight such pillars.
There are four seated tirthankaras in the sole garbhagriha,
each facing a different direction. This gives the structure in front of four
directions meaning. The four tirthankara statues are constructed of black stone
and polished to a high sheen.
Deity
This temple is dedicated to the Theerthankaras Aranatha,
Mallinatha, and Munisuvrata, who are portrayed at the four cardinal points of
the Basadi by twelve black-stone figures in standing poses and of identical
shape. The temple also has depictions of the 24th Theerthankara and Yakshi
Padmavati.
The Basadi has a fort-like stone wall that surrounds the
temple. A series of stairs has been carved into the rocky hill's slopes to make
space for this lovely shrine. This site is a protected archaeological site that
attracts travellers who come to meditate and pray. The temple is near to
Ramasamudra, a beautiful lake dedicated to Veera Bhairava's son Ramanatha, who
died during his father's reign, as well as Bahubali's spectacular monolithic
monument. From the summit of 'Bahubali Betta,' you can see Chaturmukha Basadi
in all its glory.
Inscriptions allude to the Basadi as Tribhuvana Tilaka Jina Chaityalaya and Ratnaraya Dhama, and it is one of Karkala's most famous Basadis.
History
There are no historical records that reveal the patron of
this prestigious Jain temple. However, it is widely assumed that this temple
was established by Queen Channabhairadevi. Even Pietro Della Valle, a
contemporaneous explorer, remains silent on the subject. This temple may be
dated to the sixteenth century A.D. based on stylistic evidence.
Chaturmukha Basadi was created by Rani Chennabhairadevi in
1562 and is regarded as an architectural marvel. The Basadi, which is made of
granite, has remained off-limits to tourists. The basadi, which was built in
the Vijayanagara style, has four entrances, one for each of the four compass
points, all of which face the sanctum sanctorum. Though no official prayer
rituals are performed at the Chaturmukha basadi, Parshawanatha basadi, or
Neminatha basadi, the nearby Jwalamalini temple hosts regular prayers and pooja
ceremonies.
Places to visit near Chaturmukha Basadi, Karkala
Gommateshwara Statue, Karkala
Shri Anantha Shayana Temple
Ramsamudra Lake
Sree Venkataramana Temple
Anekere Lake
How to reach Chaturmukha Basadi, Karkala
By Road
KSRTC
operates different classes of direct buses from almost all the major cities of
Karnataka. This is definitely the best option!!
If you do
not wish to travel in a public vehicle, you could hire a cab or just take your
own vehicle.
By Train
If you are
travelling via train, the closest railway station available is Udupi. Distance
from this railway station to destination is approximately 28 km respectively.
You'll have to hire private vehicles from the railway station to the
destination.
By Air
The nearest airport available is Mangalore Airport approximately in 48 km. From airport, you can use any means of transport like bus/train/taxi to reach the temple.
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