Shravanabelagola and Lakkundi in Karnataka proposed for UNESCO World Heritage list

Two prime monuments in Karnataka have been proposed for the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage list. The one is Shravanabelagola in Hassan and the other is Lakkundi in Gadag districts. These have been chosen by the State Department of Archaeology Museums and Heritage (DAMH).

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About Shravanabelagola

Shravanabelagola is one of the prime Jain pilgrimage sites in Karnataka noted for the statue of Gomateshwaraa. It is counted among the tallest free-standing monolithic statues in the world! Not many must be aware of the fact that the statue was carved from a single stone and consecrated in 981 CE.

The humongous statue is visible from a distance of about 30 km but to get a clear and close view, people need to climb some 700 steps. The place is set some 150 km away from Bengaluru.
Reaching Shravanabelagola is easy and the nearest airport is about 87 km in Mysuru. There is also a railway station in Shravanabelagola that offers daily train services connecting to Bengaluru.

About Lakkundi

Lakkundi, or Lokkigundi was one of the capitals of the Hoysala Empire some thousands of years ago! Today, one can see over 50 ruins of ancient temples throughout the village. These belong from the periods of the Chalukyas, Kalachuris, and Suena. Another interesting feature here are the 100 stepwells, which are also known as kalyani.

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Lakkundi is a lesser-known destination situated some 375 km from Bengaluru. The nearest airport is in Hubballi which is around 70 km. Another is the Sambre Airport at Belgaum which is nearly 128 km away.