Gommateshwara Temple, Shravanabelagola

Bahubali(Gommateshwara) was the son of Rishabhanatha, the first tirthankara of Jainism. Bahubali is a much revered figure among Jains. He is said to have meditated motionless for a whole year in standing posture because of which climbers grew around his legs.

Bahubali attained Kevala Jnana (omniscience) and became an omniscient being.According to Jain texts, Bahubali's soul attained moksha (liberation from the cycle of births and deaths) at Mount Kailash. He is revered as a Siddha (liberated soul) by the Jains.

Bahubali is also called Gommatesha because of the Gommateshwara statue dedicated to him. The statue built by the Ganga dynasty minister and commander Chavundaraya, is a 57-foot (statue carved from a single piece of rock) and is situated above a hill in Shravanabelagola, in the Hassan district of Karnataka state, India.

It was built in around 983 A.D. and is one of the largest free standing statues in the world.
The Adi purana, a 9th-century Sanskrit poem, deals with the ten lives of the first tirthankara, Rishabhanatha and his two sons, Bharata and Bahubali.

Bahubali had a son named Somakirti (also known as Mahabala).
It has serene facial expressions and curly hairs. This Jain centre attracts many pilgrims during the annual Mastakabhisheka in September.
The MahaMasthabhisheka is held once in 12 years.