Karkala

Karnataka > Udupi > Karkala

Karkala in Dakshina Kannada (52 km. from Mangalore) has been a notable Jaina Centre with the seat of Jaina dynasty called Bhairarasas or the Santaras whose prince Veera Pandya raised the Gommata Statue here in 1432. They also built the ornate Chaturmukha basadi with four entrances, housing Arhat, Malli and Suvrata Tlrthankaras in 16th century characters the Ananthashayana and Venkataramana temple, here are of considerable antiquity and on the bank of Ramasamudra tank is another basadi of early times. The St. Lawrence church here is highly venerated. Mudabidri in Dakshnina Kannada, situated 35 kms. away from Mangalore is one of the famous Jaina Centres of South India. Among the 18 basadis here, the Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani Basadi, also known as thousand pillared Basadi is the biggest. Other basadis are also attractive and the Jaina Matha has rare Jain manuscripts and remarkable metallic images. It was the capital of Chautas and in their old palace, there are some wooden pillars having Navanari Kunjara and Panchanari Turaga motifs on them.