Shravanabelagola
Discover Shravanabelagola
Shravanabelagola is a village famous for its impressive Jain temple. It is located in Hassan District of Karnataka. Shravanabelagola is a Jain pilgrim destination located in the Hassan district of Karnataka state, Southern India, at an altitude of about 800 m (2,600 ft) above sea level. The town is wedged between two rocky hills- Vindhyagiri and Chandragiri. It is at a distance of It is 11 km from Channarayapatna, 52 km from Hassan town, the headquarters of the Hassan district and 157 km from Bangalore. There are good roads from Bangalore and Mysore to Shravanabelgola. The town's municipality has existed for the past 70 years.
Taste of Shravanabelagola...
The delectable southern Karnataka cuisine is an inseparable part of the state. The southern Karnataka plateau covers the districts of Bangalore, Rural Bangalore, Hassan, Kodagu, Kolar, Mandya, Mysore and Tumkur. Here, the range of cuisine is quite varied. The ingredients, flavors and the tastes of its cuisines are distinctive and versatile. Some typical dishes include Bisi bele bath, piping hot rava idlis, dosas, sheera, Jolada rotti, Chapati, Ragi rotti, Akki rotti, Saaru, Huli, Vangi Bath, Khara Bath, Kesari Bath, Davanagere Benne Dosa, Ragi mudde, and Uppittu. A typical Kannadiga Oota (Kannadiga meal) includes the following dishes in the order specified and is served on a banana leaf: Uppu (salt), Kosambari, Pickle, Palya, Gojju, Raita, Dessert (Yes, it is a tradition to start your meal with a dessert - Paaysa), Thovve, Chitranna, Rice and Ghee. Make sure to carry a bottle of water while you do the climb. There are no shops up the hill. Freshly harvested tender coconut is sold in stalls at the foot of the hill. Drink refreshing “Tender Coconut Water” after the decent to rejuvenate. Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm). A very young coconut has very little meat, and the meat is very tender, almost a gel. Coconut water has long been a popular drink in south India. Shrvanabelagola is a sacred town to Jains so drinking is strongly discouraged so as not to offend local sensibilities.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsShravanabelagola is 146 km from Bangalore and 11 km from Channarayapatna. Hassan 57 km, Mysore 83 km, Arasikere 63 km. The nearest airport is at Bangalore (BLR) (157 km), regular flights of Indian and Jet Air connect Bangalore to the main areas of the country. Shravanabelagola has regular trains from Bangalore and the journey takes approximately 2 hr 30 min. The nearest major train station is in Hassan (57 km). Taxi, buses or cars are the best options from Hassan. Buses are available from Channarayapatna every half an hour starting from 5:30AM. Shravanabelagola is well connected by road from all important towns in Karnataka. You can get here from Mysore, Bangalore or Hassan. There are frequent buses, but you will have to change over at Channarayapatna. There are no direct buses to Shravanabelagola. Local transport from Channarayapatna includes auto rickshaws, private cars and buses. From Bangalore you can hire a taxi or bus to reach the main town, the route is simple....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Autorickshaws are a good way to travel from one place to another. “Dolis” built of a comfortable cane chair carried by four men for a tour over the hills. The timings are from morning 6:30AM to 11:30AM and afternoon 3:30PM to 6:30PM. If you are traveling with old persons who need these "dolis", it is advisable to reach early as the number of "dolis" are limited and the "doli" bearers are employees of the trust there. The booking for the "doli" has to be done in the Tourist Reception & Information office and is on a first-come, first-served basis. The staff is very courteous. The rate for one round trip is ₹400 (July 2012). Each "doli" trip is for 1½ hours and they charge ₹50 extra for every additional 30 minutes. The maximum time for a trip can only be 2½ hours even with extra time. The town is small and you can easily walk between the major attractions.
Where to Stay
Good hotels are also available at Channarayapatna (13 km away) and at Hassan (52 km away). At Hassan you can stay at:
Money & Budget
The local market at Shravanabelagola is quite colourful with its collection of restaurants, bakeries, ATM centres, fruit and vegetable vendors, stationary shops, curio shops, medical store, etc. All in all, the market is well established and provides everything that is essential. The delectable southern Karnataka cuisine is an inseparable part of the state. The southern Karnataka plateau covers the districts of Bangalore, Rural Bangalore, Hassan, Kodagu, Kolar, Mandya, Mysore and Tumkur. Here, the range of cuisine is quite varied. The ingredients, flavors and the tastes of its cuisines are distinctive and versatile.
Language & Talk
A number of languages are spoken around here that reflects the cultural diversity of Karnataka. Kannada is the official state language but Hindi and English are also widely understood, so communication shouldn't be much of a problem. Shravanabelagola is 146 km from Bangalore and 11 km from Channarayapatna. Hassan 57 km, Mysore 83 km, Arasikere 63 km. The nearest airport is at Bangalore (BLR) (157 km), regular flights of Indian and Jet Air connect Bangalore to the main areas of the country. Shravanabelagola has regular trains from Bangalore and the journey takes approximately 2 hr 30 min. The nearest major train station is in Hassan (57 km). Taxi, buses or cars are the best options from Hassan. Buses are available from Channarayapatna every half an hour starting from 5:30AM.