Overview
A thirty-five foot monolith of Bahubali on the bank of the Phalguni river at Venur, the smallest of Karnataka's four Bahubali colossi and a regular Mahamastakabhisheka site. Sect: Digambara.
History
Consecrated in 1604 CE, commissioned by the Ajila chieftain Vira Timmaraja. Note that this rests on weaker evidence than Karkala: no specific inscriptional documentation was found, unlike Karkala's Epigraphia Indica record. A strong local attribution assigns it to the sculptor Jakanachari.
Spiritual Significance
Venur completes the set of four Karnataka colossi, with Shravanabelagola, Karkala and Dharmasthala, which together form a distinct regional tradition of monumental Bahubali sculpture found nowhere else.
Pilgrimage Information
Getting there and getting in. No access detail was found in the sources consulted. Jain temples of this rank commonly prohibit leather articles, restrict photography, and expect bathing before worship. Where this page does not state a restriction, it is because no source documented one for this particular site, not because none applies. Confirm on arrival.
Preservation
Protection status. No protection status could be confirmed.
Sources
- Gomateshwara, Venur other
About this page
Researched and written by YatraBeyond from published sources, and not yet confirmed by the temple. Facts here are cross-checked against at least two independent sources, never written from memory, and every source is listed above.
Last reviewed by us: 2026-09-17. Timings, entry rules and access can change without notice; treat anything time-sensitive as a starting point and confirm before you travel.
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