The ManjunathaTemple at Dharmastala is a very important centre of Jain pilgrimage, situated about 75kms east of Mangalore on the lower slopes of the Western Ghats. Dharmastala is frequented by hundreds of pilgrims every day. Regular buses connect Dharmastala to Mangalore.
MUDABIDRI
35kms northeast of Mangalore is the town of Mudabidri that has 18 Jain bastis. The oldest of them is the 15th century Chandranatha Basti colloquially known as the 1000 pillared hall. This impressive temple has a stone roof surmounted by a gabled and tiled wooden roof. Mudubidri is sometimes described as the Jain Varanasi.
VENUR
The tiny hamlet of Venur is about 15kms from Mudabidri with eight bastis and the ruins of a Mahadeva temple. On the banks of the River Gurupur stands an 11m tall Bahubali statue dating back to 1604.
KARKAL
Karkala situated 20kms north of Mudabidri has several important temples and a 13m high Bahubali statue completed in 1432. to the north is the Chaturmukha Basti built in the 16th century.
Image via Wikipedia
