Mahamastakabhisheka at Shravanabelagola in August 2018 2

The ''Mahamastakabhisheka'' ("Grand Consecration", "The Great Indian Festival") refers to the ''

abhiṣeka Abhisheka () means "bathing of the divinity to whom worship is offered." It is a religious rite or method of prayer in which a devotee pours a liquid offering on an image or murti of a God or Goddess. Abhisheka is common to Indian religions su ...

'' (anointment) of the Jain images when held on a large scale. The most famous of such consecrations is the anointment of the Bahubali

Gommateshwara statue The Gommateshwara statue is a high monolithic statue on Vindhyagiri Hill in the town of Shravanbelagola in the Indian state of Karnataka. Carved of a single block of granite, it is one of the tallest monolithic statues in the world second onl ...

located at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka, India. It is an important Jain festival held once every 12 years. It is an integral part of the ancient and composite Jain tradition. The festival is held in veneration of a high monolithic statue of the Siddha Bahubali. The anointing last took place in February 2018, and the next ceremony will take place in 2030. The ceremony in 2018 is said to be the 88th in the series that commenced in the year 981 AD and was the second Mahamastakabhisheka of the 21st century. The ceremony is expected to be graced by numerous Jain

ascetics Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

. The February 2018 event was held under the leadership of Charukeerthi

Bhattaraka A Bhaṭṭāraka ( pka, भट्टारक "holy one") heads traditional Digambara Jain institutions. He is responsible for training scholars, maintenance of libraries, managing endowments, presiding over installation ceremonies and running ...

Swamiji of Shravanabelagola from 17 to 25 February 2018.

Anointment of the Gommateshwara Bahubali image

Bhagwan Bahubali, the son of Bhagwan

Rishabhanatha Rishabhanatha, also ( sa, ऋषभदेव), Rishabhadeva, or Ikshvaku is the first (Supreme preacher) of Jainism and establisher of Ikshvaku dynasty. He was the first of twenty-four teachers in the present half-cycle of time in Jain c ...

, the first of the twenty four Jain Tirthankaras, is worshiped for living with exceptional qualities that he displayed during all stages of his life from conception, birth, renunciation, enlightenment and salvation. This 58.8 feet tall statue is the most magnificent among all Jain works of art. It was built in circa 983. The Bahubali statue is described as one of the mightiest achievements of ancient Karnataka in the realm of sculptural art. The statue stands upright in the posture of meditation known as kayotsarga, reaching a height of nearly 57 feet atop the

Vindhyagiri Vindyagiri is one of the two hills in Shravanabelagola in the Indian state of Karnataka. The other one being Chandragiri. History Vindhyagiri is first referred to as "Per kavappu" (Large - Kalbappu) in 8th Century, but its history begins with t ...

Hills - accessible through a flight of 700 steps.

Procedure

Purified water and sandalwood paste is poured over the statue from a scaffolding. This event continues for weeks. As the ''Mahamastakabhisheka'' begins, consecrated water is sprinkled onto the participants by devotees carrying 1,008 specially prepared vessels (kalashes). The statue is then bathed and anointed with libations such as milk, sugarcane juice, and saffron paste, and sprinkled with powders of sandalwood, turmeric, and vermilion. Offerings are made of petals, gold and silver coins, and precious stones. Most recently, the ceremony's finale has included an enormous shower of flowers from a waiting helicopter.

Other Mahamastakabhishekas

Apart from the anointment of the

Shravana Belgola Shravanabelagola () is a town located near Channarayapatna of Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is from Bengaluru. The Gommateshwara Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola is one of the most important tirthas (pilgrimage de ...

, anointment of the Jaina images take place at Jain temples throughout India. Anointment of the other Gommateshwara statues in Karnataka are also honoured with a Mahamastakabhisheka festival every 12 years. * Dharmasthala Mahamastakabhisheka * Karkala Mahamastakabhisheka - The last Mahamastakabhisheka was held in February 2002, and the next will be in 2015. *

Venur Venur or Venoor is a small village on the banks of the Phalguni river in Belthangady Taluk, Dakshina Kannada of Karnataka, India. It was once the seat of Jainism and the capital of the Ajila Dynasty. It is on the Dharmasthala-Moodabidri-Karkala r ...

Mahamastakabhisheka - The last one was from 28 January 2012 to 5 February 2012. The next one will be in 2024. *

Kumbhoj Kumbhoj (pronounced as ''kam'bho'j'') is the name of an ancient town located in Kolhapur district in Maharashtra. The town is about eight kilometers from Hatkanangale, about twenty seven kilometers from Kolhapur and currently, also is the Taluka ...

Mahamastakabhisheka - The last Mahamastakabhisheka was held in 2015, and the next will be in 2027.

References

Citations

Sources

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External links

Mahamasthakabhisheka Bahubali Official Website

BBC News Special: Interview and Photo Reportage
{{Jainism Topics Jain festivals Festivals in Karnataka