Kamal Basti, a Jain temple, is an ornate structure that adorns the Belgaum Fort in Belgaum, Karnataka. It gets its name from the massive and beautiful lotus carving in the ceiling of the mandapa in the temple. This Jain temple is under the administration of the Archeological Department of India.
Kamal Basti History
The Kamal Basti was built in the later Chalukya style in 1204 CE by Birchiraja, also known as Jaya Raya, as guided by Subhachandrabhattarakadeva, a Jain monk. Birchiraja was an officer in the court of Kartavirya IV of the Ratta dynasty. The temple was built by the architects Kartaviryadeva and Yuvrajakumara Mallikarjunadeva, as per the inscriptions on two stone tablets dating back to 1205 CE, housed in the Royal Asiatic Society branch in Mumbai.
Architecture of Kamal Basti
Kamal Basti boasts of a pyramidal tired roof over the shrine. The temple’s dome above the mukha mandapa has a beautiful lotus carving with 72 petals. Of these, 24 petals have figures of the last 24 Thirthankaras. The other 48 are for present and future Thirthankaras. Also, Kamal Basadi gets its name from this great Lotus sculpture. The word ‘Kamal’ means lotus in the native language.
Beautifully carved and polished pillars support this lotus dome and the roof. The main shrine has the idol of Neminatha on a finely carved throne. The Neminatha idol, taken from a jungle as per popular belief, belongs to the 11th century and is older than the temple. There are also idols and shrines of Bhagawan Sumatinath, Bhagawan Parashvanath with a seven-hooded serpent, Bhagawan Adinath in Padmasana, and a shrine for Navagrahas.
How to reach Kamal Basadi
Kamal Basti, found inside Belgaum Fort, is in Belgaum City. Belgaum is a major centre connected by air, train, and bus. It is easy to reach Belgaum from anywhere within or outside Karnataka.
To conclude, Kamal Basadi is worth the visit for history buffs and people from all walks of life.
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