Jaina Shrines at Varanga

Summary

P. Gururaja Bhatt’s article introduces readers to the Jaina architectural heritage of Varanga, a village in Karnataka’s South Kanara district that has long been a pilgrimage centre. Although Varanga is one of the region’s five major Jain sites, its monuments have received little scholarly attention. Bhatt notes that the village’s antiquity dates back to the tenth or eleventh century, when it came under the pontifical authority of Humcha. Early inscriptions record that the village was gifted to the pontiff by local rulers, underscoring its religious importance. The author describes two principal monuments. The Nemînatha Basadi is a twin‑celled granite shrine consisting of a sanctum and pillared hall, with a porch supported by massive granite columns that reflect Vijayanagar influence; inscriptions indicate that the original shrine may date to the mid‑Hoysala period. Nearby stands the Kere Basadi, a small temple built on an island in a ten‑acre tank; dated by inscription to 1431, it has four entrances aligned with the cardinal directions and houses a four‑faced image of a Tīrthaṅkara, giving rise to the name "Caturmukha Basadi." Bhatt also mentions a monolithic manastambha and two modest tombs of Jain saints and emphasises the tranquil setting of lake, fields and surrounding hills. By drawing attention to Varanga’s shrines, the article situates them within the broader development of Jain architecture in coastal Karnataka and calls for their preservation and further study.