The story of Bahubali of Dharmasthala, #Karnataka
This 57 ft idol is a wonder of the Modern world, created nearly 400 yrs after the last Bahubali at Venur. No one had any concrete idea about how such a massive statue would be sculpted, transported or erected.
#Thread #Jainism
However, Shri Rathnavarma Heggade made a bold decision to make it happen come what may & initiated the plan. Unfortunately he passed away before his vision was brought to life. His illustrious son Dr.Veerendra Heggade succeeded him at a tender age of 20 & continued work!
Sculptor's Salt Sacrifice for 6 Years:
Renjala Gopala Shenoy who was 64, completely sacrificed salt until the statue was completed! At Karkala, he found a perfect 100 ft tall stone to begin with & laborers, mostly migrants from Tamil Nadu worked for 6 long yrs to complete it!
The nail-biting challenge came when the statue had to be transported to Dharmasthala. There was neither any technology nor a vehicle. Mangatram Bros, a Mumbai based co. designed a special trolley that weighed 20 tonnes & was ferried over 64 wheels with a 250 HP engine for this!
A Miracle - Anonymous Postcard:
The truck had to cross an upturn at Mangalapaade to reach the main road. For 6 long days, no stone was left unturned - Wooden planks were installed, elephants were made to pull the vehicle, engine power was increased - but the truck did not budge!
When this news was published in local newspapers, Dr.Heggade received an anonymous postcard suggesting to rubbing inflammable ash (Raala) to the tyres of the vehicle. Believe it or not, it worked! After 6 days of painstaking struggle, the vehicle moved!
When the trolley had to pass through bridges at 5 places, the existing bridges were not used owing to security reasons. Entirely new bridges were constructed parallel to the old ones at all 5 spots. The Central #Railway Ministry & the Military were the ones to make this happen!
After all the hard work & success, the decade-long dream envisioned by Late.Shri Rathnavarma Heggade was brought to a grand reality! Two prominent Jain monks of the time-Acharya Shri Vidyananda Maharaj & Acharya Shri Vimalasagar performed the consecration of Shri Bahubali in 1982
Ps. Correction - It is 39 ft tall.
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