What to expect
Highlights
- The colossal monolithic Bahubali figure and its serene expression.
- The Mahamastakabhisheka head-anointing ceremony held once every twelve years.
- Wide views over Shravanabelagola and Chandragiri hill from the summit.
Gommateshwara Statue
The Gommateshwara statue at Shravanabelagola is a 17.5 m (about 57 ft) monolithic image of the Jain saint Bahubali, carved from a single block of granite around 983 CE by the minister Chavundaraya. It stands atop Vindhyagiri hill and is one of the tallest free-standing monolithic statues in the world.
Practical guide
Plan Gommateshwara Statue
Who's going?Tailor Gommateshwara Statue to your trip
Typeheritage
Nearest baseShravanabelagola
DistrictHassan
Best timeOctober to February and early morning to…
Time needed2 to 3 hours including the climb
EntryFree
Places to visit3→Bahubali is shown in kayotsarga, a standing meditation pose, with climbing plants carved around his legs to signify his years of penance. The site is among the most important Digambara Jain pilgrimage places in India.
Getting there
How to visit
- Shravanabelagola is ~50 km from Hassan and off the Bengaluru–Hassan highway near Channarayapatna; buses and taxis serve it.
- Reaching the statue means climbing ~600–700 rock-cut steps up Vindhyagiri barefoot; go early, carry water, and a doli (palanquin) is available for those who cannot climb.
Distance by road
- Bengaluru185 km
- Mysuru120 km
- Mangaluru170 km
- Chikkamagaluru55 km
- Madikeri (Coorg)115 km
Road km to Hassan; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to February and early morning to avoid heat on the barefoot climb. The twelve-yearly Mahamastakabhisheka (next around 2030) draws huge crowds.
Weather in Gommateshwara StatueSeasonal guide
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Today at Gommateshwara Statue
Sunrise6:14 am
Sunset6:04 pm
Golden hour best light5:04 pm–6:04 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:04 pm–6:29 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 260°
Moon tonight🌓 First quarter · 45%
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Visitor notes
- The climb is barefoot on bare rock that gets hot by midday — go early and carry water and socks.
Photos
Gommateshwara Statue in pictures
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Top experiences around Shravanabelagola
2 more places around Shravanabelagola. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.
heritageChandragiri Hill
1.2 km · 15 min walk
The smaller of Shravanabelagola’s two hills, opposite Vindhyagiri, holding a group of early Jain basadis and inscriptions and traditionally linked to the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta’s final penance under the Jain saint Bhadrabahu.
templeLakshminarasimha Temple, Nuggehalli
25.1 km · 25 min drive
A three-shrined (trikuta) Hoysala temple of 1246 CE at Nuggehalli in Channarayapatna taluk, built by a Hoysala general, admired for its finely carved Keshava and Narasimha images and star-shaped plan.
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Gommateshwara Statue — at a glance
Timings~6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Best timeOctober to February; early morning; Mahamastakabhisheka once in 12 years
Entry: Free (doli/palanquin hire extra)
Getting here
How to reach Gommateshwara Statue
Shravanabelagola, ~50 km from Hassan near Channarayapatna
Getting back
If you are travelling by bus or ferry, check the return service with the operator before setting out. Leave time to reach the stop or jetty after your visit.
- KSRTC— the Karnataka state bus operator; route and schedule enquiries.Online booking.
- Indian Railways— live running and seat availability for the nearest railhead, named under “Getting here” above.
Ask at the bus stand for the time of the last service back, not the next one. If you miss it, an auto or app cab is the fallback — agree the fare before you get in.
Getting around Gommateshwara Statue
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
If you need help at Gommateshwara Statue
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Gommateshwara Statue
heritageChandragiri Hill
The smaller of Shravanabelagola’s two hills, opposite Vindhyagiri, holding a group of early Jain basadis and inscriptions and traditionally linked to the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta’s final penance under the Jain saint Bhadrabahu.
1.2 km · 15 min walktempleLakshminarasimha Temple, Nuggehalli
A three-shrined (trikuta) Hoysala temple of 1246 CE at Nuggehalli in Channarayapatna taluk, built by a Hoysala general, admired for its finely carved Keshava and Narasimha images and star-shaped plan.
25.1 km · 25 min drive
templeBucesvara Temple, Koravangala
A twin-shrined (dvikuta) Hoysala Shiva temple of 1173 CE at Koravangala about 10 km from Hassan, with two well-preserved towers and detailed carving — a quiet alternative to the crowded Belur and Halebidu temples.
51.0 km · 50 min drive
templeHasanamba Temple
The temple of the goddess Hasanamba, from whom Hassan takes its name — unusually opened to devotees only once a year around Deepavali (in the month of Ashwayuja), when vast queues form; a lamp is said to keep burning through the year the shrine stays shut.
52.4 km · 48 min drive
churchShettihalli Rosary Church
A Gothic-style church built by French missionaries around 1860 on the Hemavathi river, partly submerged each monsoon when the Gorur reservoir fills and re-emerging in summer — a striking, roofless "floating church" ruin popular with photographers.
68.9 km · 66 min drive
templeLakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli
An early Hoysala temple of 1114 CE near Hassan, unusual for its four-shrine (chatushkuta) plan around a common hall, its stone-lattice screens and a fierce Kali shrine at one corner.
70.2 km · 70 min drive
templeHoysaleswara Temple
The great twin-shrined Shiva temple of Halebidu, the former Hoysala capital Dwarasamudra, begun around 1121; its walls carry an unbroken band of intricate carving and two large monolithic Nandi pavilions face the shrines.
78.0 km · 74 min drive
templeJain Basadis, Halebidu
A cluster of Hoysala-era Jain temples (the Parshvanatha, Adinatha and Shantinatha basadis) at Bastihalli near the Hoysaleswara temple, known for lathe-turned polished pillars and a tall image of Parshvanatha.
78.7 km · 76 min driveWalking and driving times are real routed distances, except the few marked “straight line”, which are direct-line estimates and will read short.Routing: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
On the map
Where Gommateshwara Statue is
Good to know
Gommateshwara Statue — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Gommateshwara Statue?
October to February and early morning to avoid heat on the barefoot climb. The twelve-yearly Mahamastakabhisheka (next around 2030) draws huge crowds.
What are the entry fee and timings at Gommateshwara Statue?
Entry: Free (doli/palanquin hire extra). Timings: ~6:30 AM - 6:00 PM.
How do I reach Gommateshwara Statue?
Shravanabelagola is ~50 km from Hassan and off the Bengaluru–Hassan highway near Channarayapatna; buses and taxis serve it. Reaching the statue means climbing ~600–700 rock-cut steps up Vindhyagiri barefoot; go early, carry water, and a doli (palanquin) is available for those who cannot climb.
How much time do I need for Gommateshwara Statue?
2 to 3 hours including the climb.
What else is near Gommateshwara Statue?
Nearby you can pair Chandragiri Hill (1.2 km), Lakshminarasimha Temple, Nuggehalli (25.1 km), Bucesvara Temple, Koravangala (51.0 km), Hasanamba Temple (52.4 km).
Read before you go
Gommateshwara Statue guides, stories & itineraries
Stories & history of Gommateshwara Statue
Written about Gommateshwara Statue itself — its history, its legends and the arguments about them.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Image credits
Photographs: Ananth H V, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0), Rohit14400 (CC BY-SA 4.0), Subha.khowai (CC BY-SA 4.0), Lodo from Moscow, Russia (CC BY-SA 2.0). Wikimedia Commons.