Chandragiri Hill

Chandragiri (also called Katavapra Hill) is the smaller of Sravanabelagola's two sacred hills, facing Vindhyagiri across the town. While Vindhyagiri draws the crowds with the Gommateshwara statue, Chandragiri has a quieter cluster of Jain temples and shrines that repays a visit for anyone interested in the depth of the site. The hill is accessible by a shorter staircase than Vindhyagiri.

At the top you will find the Chandragupta Basadi (dedicated to the emperor Chandragupta Maurya, who is said to have died here), the Chavundaraya Basadi, and several other medieval Jain temples. The views from here, looking across at Vindhyagiri with the Gommateshwara statue visible on the summit, are among the best in Sravanabelagola. The cluster of temples here is less visited and more meditative than the main pilgrimage route up Vindhyagiri.

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Chandragiri Hill is associated with Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya Empire, who according to Jain tradition abdicated his throne, came to Sravanabelagola with the Jain sage Bhadrabahu, and died here through the practice of sallekhana — the Jain ritual of fasting to death. The Chandragupta Basadi on the hill is named after him. Historians debate the tradition, but it is well-established in Jain sources and gives Chandragiri a historical weight that complements Vindhyagiri's religious significance.

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