Kere Basadi Jain temple, Karnataka

Address

Kere Basadi Jain temple, Varanga, Karnataka 576112

Diety

Parshvanatha

Introduction

Kere Basadi (meaning: Lake temple) or Chaturmukha Basadi is a Jain temple located in Varanga village in Udupi district of Karnataka, India. This 12th-century temple is situated amidst of a lake giving it the name Kere Basadi (lake temple). The temple is also known Chaturmukha Basadi as it houses a chaturmukha (four-faced) idol of tirthankaras. The temple is situated 26 km from Karkala, another popular Jain centre. Kere Basadi is a 12th-century temple, considered to be unique for being situated in the middle of a lake. And the temple surrounded by Small plants. The mulnayak of the temple is Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara. The temple is built in chaturmukha style, having four entrance and a chaturmukha idol with images of Parshvanatha, Neminatha, Shantinatha, and Anantanatha representing the four cardinal direction. The temple also houses an idol of Padmavati

Puranic Significance

The temple dates back to 850 years back. The Sripurana, found Jain matha at Varanga, is one of the famous 8th century work by Jain tamils. The Jain Matha is an offshoot of the Humcha Jain Matha. This matha is said to have been a segment of Mula Kundakundanvaya Kranurgana’s Mesha Pashana Gaccha. According to an inscription found in Neminath Basadi, dating back to 1424 CE, King Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire visited the temple and granted land for operation. The inscription also mentions a Jain Matha existence before installation of the inscription. The matha is estimated to date back to c. 8th–9th-century CE. There is an inscription dating 1515 CE and 1522 CE mentioning of grants sanctioned by a Jain businessman and Chenna Bhairava respectively The temple dates back to 850 years back. The Sripurana, found Jain matha at Varanga, is one of the famous 8th century work by Jain tamils. The Jain Matha is an offshoot of the Humcha Jain Matha. This matha is said to have been a segment of Mula Kundakundanvaya Kranurgana’s Mesha Pashana Gaccha. According to an inscription found in Neminath Basadi, dating back to 1424 CE, King Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire visited the temple and granted land for operation. The inscription also mentions a Jain Matha existence before installation of the inscription. The matha is estimated to date back to c. 8th–9th-century CE. There is an inscription dating 1515 CE and 1522 CE mentioning of grants sanctioned by a Jain businessman and Chenna Bhairava respectively