Kundadri Jain Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Mangalore International Airport is the nearest airport.

• By train

  The nearest railway station is in Shimoga.

• By road

  Public transport runs as far as Thirthahalli or Agumbe. The hill is about 12 km from Thirthahalli on the Theerthahalli-Agumbe road.

On the way

• Private vehicles or taxis are needed for the last 15 km to the top of the hill.
• A rough, stone-paved path leads up to the temple on the hill.

Why devotees come here

Kundadri Jain Temple stands on a hill in Shimoga district, Karnataka, and is dedicated to Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara. It draws Jain devotees from different parts of the country, and the hill is also a tourist hotspot. The small temple sits beside two ponds on the hilltop.

Kundadri hill is known for a 17th-century Jain temple dedicated to Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara. The temple on the hilltop invites Jain devotees from different parts of the country. The name is believed to come from Acharya Kundakunda, a 4th century Jain monk said to have sheltered in these hills. Legend says two small ponds formed by the rock beside the temple once gave water to earlier sages.

The Jain temple, called Parshvanath Chaityalaya, is a stone structure perched atop the hill. It is built with stone statues of Jain sages and dates from the 17th century. The small temple and the two ponds are the only buildings on the top of the hill.

The hill lies on the Theerthahalli-Agumbe road in Shimoga district, Karnataka State, about 12 km from Theerthahalli. Kundadri is a renowned Jain pilgrimage centre and a tourist hotspot.

Tips for your visit

• Roads to the hill are steep and are not recommended for inexperienced drivers.
• The place is secluded with no facilities, so plan to be back in the nearest town before nightfall.
• Agumbe (16 km), Sringeri (30 km) and Kuppalli (31 km) are nearby, so a visit to Kundadri can be combined with a trip to any of them.

Questions people ask