During our trip to Udupi, while returning back, we decided to take the Karkala route to visit the beautiful Anekere Basadi 🏛️. This place is known for its calm surroundings, historic importance, and Jain architecture.
From Udupi Anekere Basadi (Karkala) is around 40 km approximately it will take 1 hour to reach. (Bengaluru to Karkala: Around 375 km). The drive towards Karkala was scenic and peaceful, making the journey enjoyable 🌿
Anekere Lake was built in 1262 by Raja Pandyadeva. At first, the lake was used as a bathing place for the royal elephants 🐘. Later, it became an important source of drinking water for the surrounding region.
In 1545 AD, Veera Pandya built a small Basadi (Jain temple) in the middle of Anekere Lake at Karkala 🏛️. The basadi is dedicated to Jain Tirthankaras. Parswanath Swami is enshrined on the upper level of the basadi, while Adinath Swami, Mahavira Swami, Chandranath Swami, and Shantinath Swami are worshipped on the lower level 🙏.
To promote both tourism and religious importance, a beautiful park has been developed around the basadi 🌿. The park includes a walking track, making it a peaceful place for visitors to relax and enjoy the surroundings.
Karkala itself is an important Jain center and is also famous for the Gommateshwara (Bahubali) statue, making this region historically and spiritually significant 🙏.
Timings & Entry Fee
- Temple Timings: Usually open during daytime hours (may vary)
- Entry Fee: No entry fee 🎟️
Unfortunately, when we reached the basadi, the temple was closed (when we reached around 1.00 PM) which was a bit disappointing 😔.
The best time to visit Anekere Basadi is from October to March 🌤️, when the weather is pleasant and comfortable for travel and sightseeing. Early mornings or evening are ideal for temple visits.
Even though we couldn’t enter the temple, visiting Anekere Basadi and learning about its history was still a meaningful experience. Sometimes, travel is not just about what we see inside but also about the journey, the stories, and the calm moments along the way 🌸.