Karkala is well known for its massive 42 feet monolithic statue of Bahubali the Gomateshwara, the son of the first Jain Tirthankar, believed to have been built around 1432 AD. This is a male figure in a naked posture approached by a number of rock-cut steps.
Bahubali, a local prince who trounced his brother in a war to win the kingdom, renounced worldly pleasures of life and spent 12 years in meditation; by that time climbers grew all over and around him. Veerapandya Bhairava Raja built this monolithic statue in his honor.
A festival with all mighty known as Maha Masthakaabhisheka, sacred bathing of the statue with saffron paste, milk and water, held in every 12 years. During this period thousands of Jain devotees visit this place to carry out the Mahamastakabhisheka. This statue issan awesome site and is the second tallest in the state.