Saavira Kambada Basadi is a magnificent thousand pillar temple at Moodabidri. The temple town is also popularly known as Jain Kashi’ of India since it is dotted with many Jain temples. Let’s find out more about Saavira Kambada Basadi.
Karnataka has a vibrant cultural heritage, encompassed in its beautiful temples and breathtaking towns. One of these heritage cities in Moodabidri, a temple town has a curious connection with the number 18 – it houses 18 temples, with 18 roads that connect the different villages in the vicinity, adorned with 18 lakes, and also the home to 18 Jain Basadis.
The town, which is located around 37 kilometers away from Mangalore, gets its name from the abundance of bamboo cultivation in the area. In Kannada, ‘Mooda’ means east while ‘Bidri’ means bamboo.
Saavira Kambada Basadi
Saavira Kambada Basadi is known for its magnificent pillars that are the hallmarks of this ancient place of worship. The temple is also called Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani Basadi which means the ‘crown jewel of the three worlds’.
While the temple was first designed in the year 1430 by the then local chief Devaraya Wodeyar the current design was introduced in the year 1962. The construction took around 31 years to get completed, and the result is the beautiful structure that we see today.
In the later stages of construction, various additions took place – such as the prayer hall, the Manasthamba (a tall pillar in front of Jain temples) which added to the beauty of the temple.
The temple consists of three separate floors, the uppermost of which is open for devotees only once a year. No wonder, the upper floor is one of the best-kept secrets of the biggest and oldest Jain temples in Asia!
Saavira Kambada Basadi
The multiple ‘mandapas’ of the temples are supported by pillars, which are a sight to behold! The awe-inspiring beauty of the structures and the impeccable carvings adorning them are a source of intrigue for those who lay their eyes on them.
Indeed, the visitors also can’t help but notice how, despite the lack of modern technologists, sculptures have carved the stones with perfect measurements, lending the place a peaceful symmetry.
From mythical animals to inspirations from Mother Nature – the carvings on these pillars seem to convey various stories and beautifully reflect the art and culture of ancient times.