I know most of you would have never heard this off beat place called Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. Apart from being an education oriented city, Moodbidri is a home for Jains and is renowned as the Jain temple town as it has some fascinating stories of a rich cultural past embedded in its eighteen temples. Out of many such temples in Moodbidri we decided to visit the most beautiful temple in the heart of the city - Saavira Kambada Basadi which literally translates to Thousand Pillar Temple in English.
The 15th-century temple is a treasure house of art and architecture. The 8ft tall bronze idol of 8th Tirthankara of Jains, Lord Chandranatha Swami in the sanctum of Saavirakambada Basadi is said to be the most sacred and carved to perfection. The temple was constructed over a painstaking period of 31 years. The intricate carvings and geometrically accurate lines speak of craftsmen whose skills can dumbfound today’s machines in the blink of an eye.
Thousand stories to tell: Standing in the courtyard, we could experience the grandeur and vigor that has come to stand as the hallmark of an era long lost in the sands of time. I asked the guard if there are actually one thousand pillars for which he said "yes". Well, I didn't have enough time to count it but if you are visiting then do count and let me know ????. Every pillar has unique figures carved on them. The 8-foot tall statue of Chandranatha Swami in the sanctum sanctorum was fascinating with a hush of silence and peace that envelops the temple.
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The intricate carvings and rustic look of the temple woke the photographer in me. We spent the next one hour trying to capture the beauty through the lens and ofcourse posed for few :P
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Well my visit to Thousand pillar temple was the most beautiful part in my 4 days trip to Coastal Karnataka. You can read more about them on my blog (links below).
Coastal Karnataka trip Day 1 - Panambur beach, Mangalore
Coastal Karnataka Day 2 - Saavira Kambada Basadi a.k.a Thousand Pillar Temple
Coastal Karnataka Day 2 - St Mary's island, Malpe.
Coastal Karnataka Day 3 - Celebrating New Year at Om Beach, Gokarna.