The colossal structure of Gommateshvara is situated in Sravanabelgola in Karnataka, the most sacred place for the Jains. This is considered to be the tallest monolithic sculpture in the world. The state Karnataka boast on this statue, as it is perched on the top of Indragiri hill and can be seen even from a fair distance. The Gommateshvara statue, which represents the penance of mythological king Bahubali serves as the grandeur of the Jain religion. The monolith was constructed in the year 980 AD and was constructed by Chavundaraya, a minister and commandant of King Rachamalla of the Ganga Dynasty.

The huge monolith of Gommateshvara stands tall at the height of 58 feet. The relic depicting former king Bahubali is without clothes and built out of granite rocks. It is believed that this colossal statue is carved out of a single rock. The huge structure can be seen from as far as 25 km. It is situated on a hill and can be reached after climbing around six hundred and fourteen steps. The monolith of Gommateshvara was constructed following the typical features of Jain architecture and the potential of the Indian sculptures are expressed in full in this piece of work.

This magnificent sculpture is the symbol of ancient glory of Jains in the tenth century. The statue shows perfect proportion of human figure. It effectively reflects the tranquility of a soul in search of enlightenment. The head of the statue is covered with curly hairs and its eyes express vitality. The steel standing posture of a saint determined in penance has been beautifully brought out by its artisans.

The unclothed figure of the Jain pantheon reveals the self-denial for sake of faith. This statue is a totally nude male but the nudity is absolutely free from sensuality. It indicates the isolation of a saint who overcomes all earthly bonds. The empty space between the hands and the body and in between two legs reflect the aloofness of the pious soul.