Chandragiri Sravanabelgola

After a successful climb up the Vindhyagiri which houses the magnificient monolithic statue of Gomateshwara we decided we were fit enough to try the hill just opposite Vindhyagiri, called the Chandragiri. It seemed like a cakewalk compared to the climb we just did. So with lots of enthusiasm we climbed up the hillock whose history dates back to 2000 years to the reign of Chandragupta Maurya who is said to have come here atop this hill to spend his last days after conversion to Jainism. Chandragupta Maurya, after having had his son Bindusara made king of Magadha, renounced the world – became a Jain monk after having been a disciple of a Jain monk called Bhadrabahu.
Chandragupta died, as the Jain legend has it, on this hill fasting – Prayopabeshan.
There are plenty of lithographs on this hill that depicts several other Jain monks also died on this hill in the same manner.

This is a group of 15 small temples; and after the 15th (Bhadrabahu Cave) there is a trek to the highest point on the hill, which is well worth it.
There were hardly any people up there and it was so serene and picturesque. A photographer’s delight.