Karkal is one of the famous and sacred Jain centres of Karnataka. It is situated at 20 km north of Mudabidri, another famous Jain centre. There are several important temples in Karkal and the 13 meter high Bahubali statue is one of the most important statues. This Bahubali statue was completed in 1432. The Bahubali statue stands on a small, serene hillock on the outskirts of the town.
The Western Ghats can be viewed very nicely from here in Karkal. The Chaturmukha Basti can also be seen to the north of the Karkal. This basti was built in the16th century and has a very plain design. The decoration is limited to some low relief carvings. The Karkal temple was built with huge rock slabs. The three deities of the sanctum can be viewed from the front terrace.
