Chaturmukha Basadi Monastery
Karkala Taluk of the Udupi district and the surrounding places is known for its Jain influence in architecture and administration. The historic Chaturmukha Basadi of Karkala is one of the finest examples of the architectural marvels of this age. Situated on a rocky hill minute of walk away from the famous Monolithic Bahubali Statue of Karkala, this Jain temple is at a distance of 37 km from Udupi & 50 km from Mangalore.
The primary deity of the temple is Chandranatha. Chaturmukha Basadi is called so because of its four doorways in four directions which lead to the Garbhagriha. This piece of finest masonry is entirely built of stone and stands on a raised stone platform. The roof to the temple is flat and is constructed with large granite slabs.
The temple has a total of 108 pillars. The number 108 when summed gives a 9, indicating a perfect number according to Vedic mathematical practices. This temple was constructed by Vir Pandya Deva, the King of the Bairarava family in 1432 and completed in 1586.
This is the most celebrated temple in Karkala and is referred to in the inscriptions as Tribhuvana Tilaka Jina Chaityalaya and Ratnaraya Dharma. Photography is prohibited inside without prior permission
