Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishna unveils statue of Shanti Sagar Maharaj in Shravanabelagola

Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan unveiled the statue of Acharya Shanti Sagar Maharaj, a monk of the Jain Digambara faith, at Shravanabelgola in Hassan district on Sunday (November 9, 2025). He also named the hillock, where the idol will be installed later today, as Shanti Giri.

The Vice President, who is on his first visit to Karnataka after assuming office, said that the entire Karnataka had been a holy place and Kannadigas had always protected rich tradition, heritage and culture. Shravanabelagola had been the most venerated pilgrimage centre for the Jains. The place has been the centre of Jain faith over thousands of years, he said.

Highlighting the significance of the place, Mr. Radhakrishnan said the Gomateshwara statue atop Vindhyagiri, commissioned by Chavundaraya, a commander in the Ganga dynasty, was a magnificient testimony to human devotion and artistic genius. The history of the place traces back to Chandragupta Mourya, who renounced the throne and worldly pleasures, to accept Jainism under the guidance of Bhadrabahu and reach Shravanabelagola. “Together they came here in search of liberation and spiritual peace. Their journey continues to inspire many even today,” he stated.

Further, the Vice President said that his native state Tamil Nadu had a special connection with the Jainism. “Once upon a time, two-thirds of the Tamilians were following Jainism. The contributions of Jainism to Tamil literature is huge and significant during both the Sangam and post-Sangam period,” he added.

The Vice President unveiled the statue and named the hillock in the presence of Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, Jain mutt seer Charukeerthi Panditcharyavarya Bhattaraka Swamy, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda, MP Shreyas M. Patel, MLA C.N. Balakrishna and others.

Fourth hillock

Shanti Giri is the fourth hillock to gain significance in Shravanabelagola, a noted Jain pilgrimage centre.

Vindhyagiri is known for the 58ft tall monolithic statue of Gomateshwara. Chandragiri has been named after Chandragupta Maurya, as he observed Sallekhana at the place. Charugiri is the hillock where the memorials of 33 previous swamijis of the Jain Mutt are located. The fourth, the latest, is named after Shanti Sagar Maharaj.

The Jain Mutt of Shravanabelgola in Channarayapatna taluk took the decision to install the statue of Acharya Santi Sagar Maharaja, to commemorate 100^th anniversary of his visit to the place. The mahamastakabhisheka, the grand anointment of the Gomateshwara statue, was held in 1925 in his presence.

Charukeerthi Panditacharyavarya Bhattaraka Swamy of Jain Mutt, in his address, recalled the contributions of Acharya Shantisagara Maharaja.

The monk, in his lifetime, faced tough challenges in following the traditions of the Digambara mudra because of the apathy of the British rule. He observed fast many times, including once in front of the Red Fort in Delhi, to educate people about the faith. Altogether, he observed for 9,908 days in his lifetime. He termed the occasion of installing his statue and naming the hillock after him a historic day in Shravanabelagola.