Located 35 km away from Mangalore, Moodabidri popularly known as Jain
Kashi is one of the major centers of Jainism in South India. Sited at
a beautiful spot in the midst of hills covered with lush green bamboo
trees, this place also known as Mudnidri and Moodbiri got its name from
the two words 'moodu' that means east and 'bidiru' means bamboo. Around
18 Jain temples locally known as Basadis (Bastis) are found here that
are dedicated to the memory of the Teerthankars. Built of hard granite
with intricately carved pillars and panels, most of these basadis dates
back to 10th century AD. Guru basadi, Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani Basadi
and Ammanavara Basadi are the famous among them.
Guru basadi, also known as Siddhantha Basadi and Hale (Old) Basadi with
the 23rd Thirthankar, Lord Parshwanatha as the presiding deity, is believed
to be the earliest of the Jain monuments of this place (714 AD). The sanctum
of the basadi is adorned with a beautiful 3.6 meter tall stone idol of
Parshwanatha and rare Jain palm leaf manuscripts of 12th century A.D.
known as ‘Dhavala texts’. The most ornament and the largest
basadi is the Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani basadi also known as Chandranatha
Basti famed for its 1000-pillared hall. The sanctum of this basadi houses
a 2.5 meter tall bronze image of Lord Chandranatha Swami which is considered
as an image of utmost importance in Jainism. Badaga basadi, Koti basadi,
Kallu basadi, Vikrama Shetti basadi, Shettara basadi, Hire basadi, Betkeri
basadi, Leppada basadi, Deramma Shetti basadi, Chola Shetti basadi, Maday
Shetti basadi, Baikanatikari basadi, Kere basadi, Padu basadi, Shri Mathada
basadi and Jaina Pathashaleya basadi are the other shrines. Every basadi,
there is a beautiful images of Jain Thirthankar, Yakshas or Yakshis.
Moodabidri is the birth place of famous Kannada poet Rathnakar Varni.
The other attractions of the place include tombs of Jain priest, 7th century
Kanthavara temple, 9th Century A.D. Gowri temple, pre-historic stone age
structures, large granite monoliths called Konaje Kallu etc.
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