Coorg - Cofee Plantations in Western Ghats, Karnataka

Guru basadi is the oldest Jain monument in Mudabidri. The temple houses a stone statue of Pareshnatha. This idol is around 3.5 meters in height and is installed in the sanctum of Guru basadi. The rare Jain palm leaf manuscripts are preserved here. This basadi is the apt place if one wants to know about the early Jain culture and its history. Thus apart from being religious center it is also an interesting historical site.

Another attraction here is Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani basadi. This is the largest and the most flamboyantly designed Jain temples of Mudabidri. The natives there also refer to it as Thousand Pillared temple or Savira Kambada Basadi. This granite temple was built in 1430 A.D. The 2.5 meters bronze figure of Lord Chandranatha Swami in the sanctum of this basadi is considered to be holy. This 3storied building was built with the contributions from the then rulers, the Jain Bhattaraka Swamiji, merchants and the common people. The striking feature of this temple is the open pillared hall comprising of elaborately designed pillars in Vijayanagara style. Manastambha, 15 mt. tall stone pillar stands in front of the Tribhuvana Tilaka Chudamani basadi in Mudabidri.

Mudabidri is known as the ‘Jain Varanasi’ of South India. There are 18 Jain basadis in Mudabidri; the oldest of them is the 15th century Chandranatha Basadi, also known as the Thousand Pillars Basadi. The main entrance, which faces the east, opens onto a superb monolithic pillar in front of the doorway. The temple boasts of a valuable collection of jewelencrusted metallic images of Jain tirthankaras, and superb monolithic columns in the Jain tradition, each with a different carving. The Jain Mutt near the main temple entrance has a library containing some beautiful 12th and 13th century palm leaf manuscripts. It is worth visiting the 17th century Chowta Palace for its beautifully carved wooden pillars and ceilings. Thousand Pillar Basadi, Mudabidri Bhagamandala Temple is 39 km from Madikeri and is situated at the confluence of three rivers, the Cauvery, the Kanika and the Sujyothi. The temple here, built in Kerala style, has smaller shrines dedicated to various gods.

Kodagu has a few temples that are worth visiting. The Bagamandala Temple at the confluence of the CauverySujyothi Rivers is built in the multiroofed Kerala style. The Omkareshwara Temple, dedicated to Shiva, is almost 200 years old and is a surprising blend of Islamic and Gothic styles.s