Karkala
A granite Bahubali on one hill and Jain basadis below
A Karkala tour climbs to a 42-ft granite Bahubali of 1432, adds the four-faced Chaturmukha Basadi and times a 2027 anointing in Udupi district.
Overview
Karkala is the headquarters of its own taluk in Udupi district, about 40 km inland from Udupi town, and it is a Jain heritage stop where the ghats begin rather than a beach town. A Karkala tour needs only half a day or a day: a monolithic statue on a hill, a four-doored temple among paddy fields and a scatter of basadis in between. About 2,117 mm of rain falls in a year, with June the wettest at 663 mm, so October to March is easier for walking.
The Gommateshwara statue, the Jain figure Bahubali cut from one block of granite, stands 42 feet (13 m) high on Gommata Betta hill. It was consecrated on 13 February 1432 under Veera Pandya Bhairarasa Wodeyar of the Santara line, and a Brahmastambha pillar was added beside it in 1436. The hill stands about 2.6 km out of town. It is listed as a Monument of National Importance by the Archaeological Survey of India. The surrounding area holds 18 basadis in all.
Chaturmukha Basadi is the sight that most surprises first-time visitors. It is open on four sides, with four identical doorways leading to one inner sanctum, and 108 granite pillars hold it up. It dates from 1586 and sits only 1.3 km from the town centre and 1.4 km from the statue, so an auto-rickshaw links the two quickly. Hiriyangadi has another basadi complex with a tall monolithic pillar, and St Lawrence Church at Attur, a neo-Gothic building, adds a Christian landmark to the list.
The ritual that sets Karkala apart is the Mahamastakabhisheka, a ceremonial anointing of the statue from its head that recurs about once in 12 years, with the next announced for 18 to 28 February 2027. Crowds at such a ceremony are far above normal, so any trip planned around it needs early bookings for rooms and transport.
Mangaluru, the nearest airport city, is about 51 km by road, and Udupi has the closest railway station. National Highway 169 links Karkala with Mangaluru and with Solapur. Moodabidri, known for a thousand-pillared basadi, lies about 16 km away, which makes the two towns a natural pair.
Known for
A 42-ft granite Bahubali on Gommata Betta hill, consecrated in 1432
Happening soon
Updated Oct 7, 2026Karkala Bahubali Mahamastakabhisheka
festivalThe roughly 12-yearly anointing of the Gommateshwara statue on Gommata Betta, announced by its organising committee for 18 to 28 February 2027.
Quick facts
Rainfall averages about 2,117 mm a year, with June the wettest month at 663 mm.
Mangaluru International Airport (IXE) at Bajpe; Karkala is about 51 km from Mangaluru city (distance from the airport itself to be supplied)
Udupi, about 42 to 44 km
National Highway 169 links Karkala with Mangaluru and Solapur; Bengaluru is about 361 km. Drive times (to be supplied).
Hire an auto between the hill statue and Chaturmukha Basadi, which are only about 1.4 km apart, rather than driving into the narrow town streets
If you plan to come for the February 2027 anointing, book rooms and transport as early as you can and re-check the dates, since they come from a committee announcement
Pair Karkala with Moodabidri, about 16 km away, to see a second group of Jain basadis in the same day
Location
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