I got an opportunity to visit Mangalore -a land full of wonderful places. It was an official visit but I got time to see the famous places in Mangalore. One of the places that I visited was "Thousand Pillar Temple" at Jain Kashi Moodbidri. It is a big temple in stone. I had never expected such a huge Jain Temple in this Southern part of India. (My illiteracy) Anyhow, I purchased a small leaflet about such temples in this particular area. The details in this page are from the leaflet.
This is a Thousand Pillar Jain Temple, Moodbidri, 35 kms from Mangalore, known as Jain Kashi. Moodbidri, the holy place is the center of the culture of Digambar Jainism and it is called "Jain Kashi". According to the literature that I got from here, says that '"thousands of palm leaf manuscripts relating to Jainism are preserved here." As there was no guide to give details about the temple, therefore, I couldn't find any such thing. Probably, these were kept at some safe place or somewhere in side the temple as the main portion of the temple was closed at the time, I visited this place.
Moodbidri is the home of unique, matchless and invaluable Ratna Pratimas (idols made of precious stones) and the three Holy Scriptures of Jainism, namely Dhaval, Jaya Dhavala and Maha Dhavala, which are of archeological importance and religious sanctity.
Moodbidri is the oldest Jain Kashi and is the holiest Digambar Jain Seat which was headed by His Holiness Swastishri Charukeerti Bhattaraka Panditacharyavarya Mahaswamiji. Moddbidri, was once a land of rich traders as Mangalore is major Commercial Centre in South India being a Sea Port.
In Moodbidri, there are 18 sacred Basadis but I visited "The Thousand Pillar Basadi".
"The Thousand Pillar Basadi" is know also as "Hosa Basadi" (as it always looked new) and "Tribhuvana Tilaka Choodamani" (as it shines like a saffron mark on the forehead ).
Moodbidri was the the capital of Chowta Kings and the centre of Jain culture. It was also a land of rich people who acquired wealth through foreign trade. The rock edict on the wall on the north side of the Gaddige Mantapa in the Thousand Pillar basadi describes Moodbidri as "thoulavadeshadolirpudujinadharmadaagaram thaanene loka pratthithavaagi bhavya janapriyamuru vaibhavaanvitham vamshapuram."
As the story goes, the King of Vijayanagra ordered the Governor, Nagamangala Devaraja Odeyar to donate land for the construction of the Basadi. The King wanted to fulfill the wish of the then Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Panditacharavaya Mahaswamiji of the Jain Math.
Later on, under the guidance of Swamiji, several devotees and 60 Shravaka Shreshtis built this temple in 1430 and then in 1463 Bhairadevi constructed the Bhairadevi Mandapa and Nagladevi, the wife of Bhairarasa constructed the 50-feet tall, symbolic Manasthambha (a pillar) in front of the temple. This pillar is a treasure house of architectural art and skill. This can be seen in these two pictures, It definitely is a marvel and shows the skills of the artists as well as the quality of the material as it is still standing tall magnificently and weathered all the seasons.
A temple with mixed designs of architecture of North and South
The entire temple is built in stone whereas the ceiling is made in wood. ( I guess I am correct)
A very interesting fact which is given in the literature available in the temple, is that, "According to the European architecture experts, this structure is build in Nepali architectural style. Hence, it attracts both native and foreign tourists. How the Nepali architectural style came to South India is also an intriguing question."
This can be seen in both the pictures below and above. Even I was wondering when I was taking rounds of this temple and looking at the designs and architecture of this temple. I have visited many temples in the Southern Part of our Country but never found such type of structure in any of the temples.
In the following picture, the structure carved out is a man with a long beard, holding an umbrella in one hand and a stick in another and also holding a scripture under his arm. Never, in any of the figurines carved, I have found a man with such a long beard except for one in Mahabalipuram now Mammalpuram.
A enchanted dancer 👇
Long corridors of the temple carved with stone
What was the purpose of these two walls of pillars with such a narrow gap. How these had been built.
I Have found that in the ancient temple or the ancient structures, attention is paid to the cleanliness in the Holi places which has diminished over the ages. While performing various rituals water, milk etc. is being used, therefore, there are proper way of water drainage which can be seen in the picture below
When, I entered the temple, I couldn't find 1000 pillars as I was told. Then, local people who accompanied me, told that on many of the big pillars, smaller pillars are carved. So when we say 1000 Pillars, then all these smaller pillars are counted. Otherwise, before visiting this place, I had imagine a huge temple with larger corridors adorned with 1000 pillars all around.
The picture, below is not of good quality but I have posted here just for an example.
An five metal idol of Shri Chandranath Swamy is installed in the temple alongwith Panchakalyana. Tried to click the picture from distance, but failed as I am not used to tripods.
There is an interesting story about the installation of the idol. The story is elaborated in the leaflet. As explained, "The Shravakas of Moodbidri came together and called the local brass smith. He was treated with gifts, presentation and honors. He was decked with a tilak and requested to make an idol for the basadi. Gold ornaments were put in a place and granted to him for the making of the idol. Lots of copper, brass, iron, silver and gold were collected. The work started on an auspicious hour on an auspicious day. The brass smith made a beautiful shapely 9-feet wax idol. He smeared fine clay all over it, and rubbed on more clay thickly. He made a hole at the head of the wax idol so that the molten wax flows out. This mock-up idol was exposed to the sun for weeks to dry up. It dried up well and was all-set "
The story goes, "On an auspicious day the five metals (Panch lohas) melted down to desired state, as planned by the brass smith. He set the wax idol to the crucible. The mold heated up and the molten wax flowed out from the hole provided at the head of the idol. The mold became hollow. The molten metal of the panchalohas was poured into that hollow. The cast was let alone to cool down."
Story further goes, "A week passed by. The anxious brass smith hustled up. He was in a hurry to see this work of art. He broke open the mold with a hammer, the cast hadn't cooled down. The molten metal on the chest of the idol had not settled still. It gushed out. It was a lost labor. All were sad. Everything had to start all over again right from the beginning. A cast was readied again. The molten metal was on the boil again. The mold was carefully filled up and left to dry up for a fortnight. On the 16th day the cast was broken."
"Alas, this time also the cast hadn't cooled down enough. Time was not ripe. The thick chest of the idol melted away. All were grief-stricken. The third time the process was repeated all over again. This time the brass smith was put on a house-arrest, without him being the wiser about it. He had to go through all of his daily needs within the confines of his house. The brass smith hustled up, but there was no help. The cast was left to dry up for full two months. At the end of it the mold was broken in the presence of all. The idol came out into the open with all its exquisiteness and shapeliness.". Finally the idol of Chanranatha was installed in the sanctum sanctorum and Panch-kalyan was performed on Shuddha Panchami in the month of Karthika in the year Sadharana in Shaka 1431.
The platform of the temple is adorned with murals carved in stone which I tried to understand but failed.
I have found Lion carved in other temples in Southern Part of India also. Here in the picture below, a lion is carved at the corner of the platform in such a way that it appears one full lion at the front but two lions at the back.
A flower pot carved beautifully on a pillar in the main temple.
It appears to be a sport of wrestling carved in the picture below
Why we do not have guides in our ancient temples who can answer all the questions that comes to minds of tourists.
