Basavanna Statue
A 108-feet tall giant statue of 12th century social reformer Basavanna, only one of its kind in the world, which was dedicated to the humanity on October 28, 2012 at Basavakalyan in Bidar district, 745 kms from Bangalore by the Basava Dharma Peetha, is now drawing large crowds.
It took eight long years for Shimoga sculptor Sridhar Murthy to complete the statue, built on a platform 80 feet wide and 24 feet high. Sridhara Murthy and 60 of his skilled associatess put in their unparalleled efforts to sculpt it on a hillock and the statue stands 182 feet above the ground level.
Back in 2004, its cost was estimated at Rs 1 crore, but, so far, the Basava Dharma Peetha has spent Rs 6 crores on the project. The statue is said to have consumed 300 tonnes of steel and 16,000 bags of cement, besides huge quantities of sand and other materials. Base of this statue is a two-storey structure, with a facility to screen a 3-D sound and light film depicting 32 main events in the life of Basavanna. This is said to have been built in line with a similar statue at Teen Murti Bhavan, New Delhi.
Channa-basavananda Swamiji of Basava Dharma Peetha says, the statue has been built to draw international attention to the unique Vachana literature, which spreads the message of equality.
Bhakti Bhandari Basavanna or Basavaeswara, the Indian philosopher and social reformer, lived at Basavaklayan in the company of 770 Shiva sharanas during 12th century and set up the first parliament of the world –Anubhava Mantap, which was deserted by all of them after Kalyana kranti.
With a view to restore the past glory of Basavakalyan and Anubhava Mantap, Mate Mahadevi undertook this Basavanna statue project. Besides the statue, the project has a cave each built for Basavanna and Akka Mahadevi, with 500 meters deep access inside the hillock. The completed project has even a Sharana Grama (village of saints) at Basavakalyan.
Basava Dharma Peetha Charitable Trust, with the intension of reviving Sharana cultural heritage, purchased three acres of land on 21-12-2001 by the side of main road, nearby the entrance of Basava Kalyana town. Later on, the Trust purchased a further 17.5 acres adjacent to it and built a prayer hall and living rooms. The pilgrimage centre owns the attractive water reservoir'Haralayya Tirtha' too.
The caves of Basaveswara and Akkamahadevi are significant for the extrordinary chisel work and carvings in laterite rock-soil. Sharana village
reflects pictures of 12th Century Shivacharyas engaged actively in their Kayakas (occupations).
The Trust is running an orphanage. There is a beautiful Hillock which is named as Sharana Shaila. Beautiful rolling land scape is the highlight of the place. On Sharana Shaila is erected Lord Basavanna’s statue of 108’ height. It is structured on a pedestal of 24 feet height, 60’ x 80’ size.
Basavanna (1134–1196)) fought against the practice of the caste system, which discriminated against people based on their birth and other rituals in Hinduism. He spread social awareness through his poetry, popularly known as Vachanaas. Basavanna used Ishtalinga, an image of the Siva Linga, to eradicate untouchability, to establish equality among all human beings and as a means to attain spiritual enlightenment. These were rational and progressive social thoughts in the twelfth century.
Basaveshwara is undoubtedly one of the pioneer's of Indian Democracy created a model Parliament called the "Anubhava Mantapa", which not only gave equal proportion to men and women, but also had representatives from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
The carvings of the model Parliament can be found across many temples in south India. He was a man ahead of his time, who believed that conflict should be resolved through debate and not violence. The preachings of Basavanna are forever and guiding sprit to human kind. He propagated societal concerns besides upholding values of equality. He was instrumental in delivering the messages of unique Vedic rituals in a simpler way so that the layman could understand. Dasa Sahitya and Vachana Sahitya had many
similarities. Basavanna’s ideologies are like lampposts to the younger generation, Karnataka is known for its multicultural tradition that has come a long way. Karnataka is a blend of religions, cultures and traditions,
Basavanna, with his intellectual personality, struggled to eradicate untouchability. Basava literature is simpler. He was against following caste system. His ideologies are very much essential today in a global context. He worked for the upliftment of the downtrodden and poorer sections in the society, the society is facing the evil of corruption. People should pursue spiritual ideologies in their efforts. Inner voice should be devoid of all sort of dishonesty, Saint Basavanna fought social problems with principles based on dharmic concerns, never aspired for worldly comforts.all preachings of Basavanna were aimed at cleansing the society of evil practices and ensure social developments.
Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Basavanna , said Dalai Lama himself had claimed that 12 th century philosopher Basavanna's preachings and ideology are solution to all the ills facing the society in this modern world.
Do not steal, do not kill. Do not utter lies;
Do not lose your temper. Do not detest others;
Do not glorify yourself. Do no blame others.
This alone is purity within. This alone is purity without;
And this alone is the way to please our Lord Kudalasangama.
These words are very simple. But they contain the very essence of all the moral codes of the world and of the religion of man. Our life must be pure both inwardly and outwardly. That alone is the way to win God's grace. And God's grace fills our life with joy.
Basavanna was modest and used to say, 'There is none smaller than I.' He used to say that he did not want to be praised. He would work with the people as one of them. He always addressed them, courteously in affectionate terms, as 'father', 'brother' and so on. He grew to be a great light shedding brightness not only over our motherland but also over the whole world.
How to reach to Basavakalyan (Bidar,Karnataka)
