Gomata Statue at Shravanabelagola

Friends and I visited Shravanabelagola to see the impressive 57 feet statue of Bahubali. It was an overcast day, with occasional blue skies. The weather was perfect to spend mid-morning shooting atop the hill-shrine, where otherwise no cover  protects visitors from the elements. I took this photograph of the monolithic statue of Bahubali with a Canon 17-40L in the main sanctum-sanatorium area. This is a blend of three hand-held bracketed photographs.

I found the area around the statue to be very serene, devoid of loud chants or poojas as in Hindu temples. The statue is carved out of granite, and blends well with the color scheme of the surrounding buildings. It was rewarding to climb the hill not just to visit this temple, but to also get a birds eye view of the surrounding villages. Those interested in history can find inscriptions in old Kannada in various places atop the hill. Shravanabelagola offers a mix of culture, archeology and pilgrimage.