My Journeys In India: Vindyagiri

May 21, 2014

Shravanabelagola Vindyagiri and Chandragiri Bahupali statue

Trip Details
Distance	53 kms from Hassan, 144 Kms from Bangalore
Type	trekking, It is considered to be the world's largest monolithic stone statue
Time needed	1.5 hours for Vindyagiri and 45 mins for Chandragiri
Best time to visit	Anytime
Local guides	Not found, but plenty of boards explaining the history and other details available everywhere
Stay options	Hassan
Food	Only in Hassan. Here it is not good and it is average
Nearby places	Belur, Belavadi, Doddagaddavalli, Gorur Dam, Shettyhalli
Other tips	· If it is very hot, carry and wear socks as it is difficult to walk around the temple on barefoot · Stay at Hassan for a night and you should be able to cover all these places in two days.

Note: Refer to the main post "Belur Halebidu and Somanathapura - Wonders of the world and Must see in INDIA" for planning your trip for the places around.

http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/belur-halebidu-and-somanathapura.html

Shravanabelagola is very close about 53 Kms from Hassan. There are two hills here named "Vindyagiri" and "Chandragiri" facing direct opposite to each other.

Hailstorm during May 1st ?

We carried umbrella knowing that it will be very hot and wore socks as well.

It is bit steep and better to carry and wear socks during summer months. It is very hot during summer months. But unbelievably on May 1 when we went, it rained that too it was a "hail-storm". My kids never seen that so far and it was fantastic and so powerful wind with hailstorm. Luckily all these started immediately after we reached the top and saw Bahubali. See below the photos of the ice fallen from above. It was amazing to see the nature's abhishekam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhishekam) to Bahubali. We were so thrilled and it suddenly become so cold for a while.

There were multiple frogs came out from the gaps of rocks. They seemed very happy. :-) Ofcourse who will not be happy to see a rain in summer. The temple priest told us that this is happening after 3 years and he was so happy about it as well.

Photos with comments....

This is Vindyagiri hill where Bahubali statue is present. Zoom to see the statue !

Pond infront of the Vindyagiri Hill

Parking is on the side of the road

Local lady selling small soap stone sculptures opposite to the Vidyagiri hill entrance

Entrance, we are going to start the trek, we all wore socks and carried umbrella to avoid direct sunlight !!

View of the steps from the entrance, note that board saying it is free

Halfway through, there is a small mantap to take rest

View of the Chandragiri Hill on the opposite side and the pond

Since there were no guide, these boards helped a lot to understand .....

Another mantap close to the top

Crocodile depicted on the pillar

Yes, we reached the top and here is the Bahubali statue

Another board explaining things, click the pic to open it in actual size

See the clouds getting darker...... oops.... is it going to rain?

Small brass/bronze ? idol of Bahupali below the feet

Closeup shot

Guard of the temple

All Theerthankaras

Yes it started to rain (hailstorm) and nature's abhishekam to Bahubali

Inner temple complex and rain water harvesting is been thought-of those days itself

Here is the ice in the centre of the photo........ it is so small

Luckily we could stay inside the surrounding temple mantap complex, but the ice were thrown strongly on all sides and hit us, then only we realized it is a "ice-rain" i.e. hailstorm

Another view during the rain

Old Kannada inscriptions

Can you see the stone pot which is so big to collect and store water?

These boards really do help us a lot to understand

15 places that you might want to see using the map...... (click the image to see in actual size)

Now we are back and wanted to climb the opposite hill which is called "Chandragiri". There were many branches fallen down due to hailstorm. After it stopped we started to climbup.