MONOLITHS IN INDIA

Gommateshwara Statue in Shravanabelagola, Karnataka

• It is tallest monolithic statue in the world, carved out of a single block of
• It is 57-foot (17 m) high located on Vindyagiri Hills and symbolizes Peace, Non violence, sacrifice worldly affairs, and simple living as followed by Jainism.
• The Gommateshwara statue is dedicated to the Jain figure Bahubali (son of Rishabhanatha - the first tirthankara of Jainism).
• It was built around 983 C.E. and is one of the largest free standing statues in the world.
• The construction of the statue was commissioned by the Ganga dynasty minister and commander,

 

The Statue of Ahimsa

• It is located at Mangi-Tungi, in Nashik, in Maharashtra. It was built on the inspiration of Gyanmati Mataji in 2016
• It is the tallest Jain statue in the world.
• The statue depicts the first Jain Tirthankara,
• The statue is 121 feet (36.8 meters) and has been carved out of the Mangi-Tungi hills, which are considered to be sacred by the Jains.

Bawangaja

• Bawangaja is a famous Jain pilgrim center in southwestern Madhya Pradesh.
• It is the world's second largest megalithic statue (carved out of the mountain) of Lord Rishabhadeva,the first Jain Tirthankara.
• The statue is 84 feet (26 m) high and was created early in the 12th century.

Bellary Fort, Karnataka

• It is built in two parts namely, the Upper Fort and the Lower Fort.
• The Upper Fort was built by Hanumappa Nayaka, a feudatory of Vijayanagara Empire, but the Lower Fort was built by Hyder Ali in later part of the 18th century.
• Built: 16th century; Materials: Granite ‎Stones‎ and ‎

 

Bhongir/Bhuvanagiri Fort

• Bhongir Fort was built on an isolated monolithic rock by the Western Chalukyan ruler Tribhuvanamalla Vikramaditya VI in the year 1076.

 

Kailasha temple

• The Kailasha temple is the largest of the rock-cut Hindu temples at the Ellora Caves, Maharashtra. It is a megalith carved from a rock cliff face.
• It was commissioned by Rashtrakuta king Krishna I (r. 756-773 CE).

 

Savandurga

• Savandurga is a hill 60 km west of Bengaluru,
• The hill is considered to be among the largest monolith hills in Asia.
• The hill rises to 1226 m above mean sea level and forms a part of the Deccan plateau.
• It consists of peninsular gneiss, granites, basic dykes and laterites. The Arkavathi river passes nearby.

Gopachal rock-cut Jain monuments

• Gopachal rock-cut Jain monuments, are a group of monolithic Jain carvings dated to between 7th and 15th century.
• They are located around the walls of the Gwalior Fort, Madhya Pradesh.
• They depict Tirthankaras in seated Padmasana posture as well as standing Kayotsarga posture.