Unique 'Mahamastakabhisheka' of Lord Bahubali with saffron,sandal &precious metal flowers

Shravanabelagola/Karnataka,7 February(ShobhnaJain/VNI) It is a cold-warm February  morning , and on the Chandragiri mountain stands 57 feet monolithic majestic  statue of Lord Bahubali,spreading message of peace and humanity , behind it  there is  a special giant loft  specially made for anointment ceremony...One can feel wind  blowing fast at such a height,although the Sun is not so harsh  as this time rather its rays are very gentle.The warm cosy ambiance and the cool breeze mixed with sandal and pious Dhup batti   fragrance is making  holy atmosphere even more sacred.Loftiness of statue seems to give a message, before a creator,how small is everything .After climbing 620 ladders uphill and reaching near the huge stages of Lord  Bahubali statue,one gets the feeling of vastness of the Universe, feeling of too small before lord .....  feeling  of detachment,peace, calm , a feeling which liberates you from worldly,pride,egoism.

 

Today's Mahamastakabhisheka inaugration ceremony reminded the memories of 2006 abhisheka.Today,In an impressive ceremony with thousands of devotees and monks,and under pious leadership of Bhattarai Swastishri Charukirti Bhattarak ji of Shravanabelagola, President Ram Nath kovind inaugrated   three week long Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony today.Present at the occasion were organising committee chairman Padmashree Veerendra Hegade, besides Karanataka chief minister  Mr Siddaramayaih and other prominent personalities

Again  In my mind  filled with Memories.. In  february 2006, when  Mahamastakabhisheka of the huge statue of Lord Bahubali ceremony was over,Soon after, I  visited Lord's statue for darshan, as soon as darshan was over,I turned back , a saintly gentleman in white clothes, peace written all over  on his face  asked,did you performe abhisheka during Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony ? I said',unfortunately I could not come  at that time.'With calm saintly  voice,he said,' go upstairs,you  can still perform anointment.on the loft, You will notice urns are kept with holy water.' he said.when I reached at the top of the loft behind the statue, atmosphere  seemed so overpowering  and when I dedicated holy water from the urn for anointing the head of the lord's statue,i was filled with a feeling which is beyond the words .It looked that the wind turned the streams of  holy water into fountains ,bathing majesting  statue ,world's tallest free-standing statue....whole atmosphere  incredible,heavenly. Truely it is called Maha Kumbh of Jain devotees

 

Anointment is performed  first with water, and then with tender coconut, sugarcane juice, milk, rice flour, turmeric paste, kashaya (a herbal concoction), shrigandha (sandal paste), chandana (coloured sandal paste), ashtagandha (eight varieties of sandal paste), saffron, gold and silver flowers, precious stones and finally with a shower of flowers. 

Atmosphere of anointment is so amazing,these all flowing from the head of statue gives the impression of rain bow. According to Bhattarakji,the ceremony really reflects the principles of peace and non-violence of Jainism.

 

This year also like earlier ,the Karnataka Government is actively associated with this celebrations and  has allocated  Rs.175 crores for the programme.Looking at the estimation of the arrival of nearly 50 lakhs devotees coming from India and abroad,12 township is ready to settle down.About 500 Sadhus,Sadhvis,Muni Aryika from remote areas have also reached here through walking as per tradition of jain Paramapara  from distant places of the country to witness this pious ceremony.

 

The construction of the loft platform created by German technology for anointment is also almost completed.It has cost about Rs.11 crores, about 5000 devotees can sit on this platform and can do the anointment.For which three elevators will be used, out of which an elevator will be utilized for the use of the anointing material and rest two will be used to transport devotees.

 

Even after the Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony willbe concluded,the  anointment will continue to be available to the devotees till the festival.

 

This statue is made by cutting the Vindhyagiri mountain.It was constructed in the year of 981A.D.At that time Karnataka was ruled by Gang Vansh Chamundrai,the commander of the Gang,had built it.Chandragiri mountain is situated in the front of Vindhyagiri.It is believed that Chandragiri is named after the founder of the Maurya vansh,Chandragupt Maurya. According to Jain mythology Lord Gomateshwara, also known as Bahubali, was the son of the first Jain Teerthankara, Lord Adinath. Challenged by his brother Bharatha over the succession to the throne, Bahubali took on Bharatha in a duel that involved three forms- Drishtiyuddha, Mallayayuddha and Jalayuddha. 

 

Though Bahubali finally emerged victorious, he realised the futility of materialistic things, renounced the world and its comforts and went in search of nirvana,started doing penance.The penance was so severe that the vine leaves grew on his body.Snakes made the hole there but his penance continued. Driven by his quest, he stood in deep meditation and came to be known as Gomata and after 100 years of TAPA attained  MOKSHA. It was Chavundaraya, prime minister of the Ganga Kingdom, who consecrated the statue of Bahubali in meditative form in 981 AD. . Lord Bahubali preached  that we get happiness through  non-violence,peace through sacrifice,progress through friendship and accomplishment through meditation.

 

Since the creation of the huge statue of Bahubali in Shravanabelagola, Mahamastakabhishek has been organized every 12 years from that time onwards.The immediate kings and emperors of almost all ages took part in the movement and gave their support since independence also,this event has been organized on a large scale. When Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister of the country,he visited Shravanabelagola with Indira Gandhi.Looking at Bahubali's huge and awesome statue of 57 feet,he said that to see it you do not have to bow down,the head bends on its own. Shravanabelagola is about 150 Km away from Bangalore and it is 80 Km away from Mysore.VNI