The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : Quarrying thrives even as Gomatagiri crumbles

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 04, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Quarrying thrives even as Gomatagiri crumbles

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, JULY 3. Even as the preliminaries for the "Mahamastakabhisheka" of Lord Gomateshwara at Shravanabelagola to be held in 2006 gains momentum, Jains here feel the need to step up their campaign to preserve a similar monument languishing at Gomatagiri near here.

The statue of Gomateshwara at Gomatagiri (Hunsur taluk) could be saved from imminent destruction if the Government and political leaders pay attention to it, the Jains feel.

Prabha Mandal, President of Sri Gomatagirikshetra Seva Samithi, told The Hindu that a delegation of experts and senior Jain scholars from Delhi recently visited Gomatagiri to assess the damage done to the monument.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner, Kumar G.Naik, on Saturday held a meeting with Dr. Mandal to discuss ways to conserve the statue of Gomateshwara.

Mr. Naik has ordered the local police to step up vigilance to prevent quarrying around the hillock on which the statue is situated. Dr. Mandal said the Jains had sought land in Gomatagiri to develop the area.

They had demanded a ban on quarrying to preserve the pilgrim centre.

Although an order banning quarrying around Gomatagiri was issued in January, quarrying and blasting continued causing cracks in the monolith stone structure.

Even the Deputy Director of Mines and Geology issued an order on January 6 stating that no quarrying should be carried out within a radius of two km. from Gomatagiri as was done in the case of Shravanabelagola.

An expert review committee comprising officials from the Department of Mines and Geology submitted a report stating that if the hillock was not strengthened, the statue would collapse.

They said the joints supporting the hillock were widening because of blasts. It was suggested that the hillock be strengthened by providing "abetment" from the western side.

The report pointed out that Gomatagiri was tectonically a disturbed region and comprised gneiss that was over 2,200 million years old. Located near Bettur village on a diversion road from Bilikere and about 12 km. from Yelwal, Gomatagiri is emerging as a popular Jain pilgrim centre.

The statue here is atop a 50-metre hillock and is reckoned to be an early Vijayanagar creation in granite though its origin is shrouded in mystery.

The devout Jains believe the statue at Gomatagiri to be a contemporary of the Shravanabelagola statue given the similarities between them.

Gomatagirikshetra comes alive during the annual <129>"mastakabhisheka" held here during September-October in which thousands of Jains participate.

The Jains have planned to establish an institution to develop the place and set up a medical centre to cater to the local community, a school, and provide other facilities to the pilgrims and tourists who visit the monument.

The Gomatagirikshetra Seva Samithi has urged the Government to hand over 100 acres of land around the hillock for the purpose.

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