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<div class='ite_mg_banner ads__container'><div class='it_mg_bnrBox'><div class='ite_bnr_cont'><div class='ite_cont_dtl'> <h4>Subscribe to India Today Print + Digital. Your First Month Is On Us. <span class='bold_text'> ₹299/month</span> thereafter. Cancel anytime.</h4><a href='https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscriptions.intoday.in%2Findiatoday%3Futm_source%3Dtop-web-banner ' class='ite_subscribe_btn origin_conscent_url' target='_blank'>SUBSCRIBE</a></div></div></div></div>

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<div class="itg-mosimage"><amp-img src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F1981February%2Ftruth-22_112713034546.jpg" alt="" height="425" width="650" class="" layout="responsive"></amp-img>The stone Gomateswara: Lavish ritual<p>A nondescript hamlet with 5,000-odd people, lost in the rural backwash of the paddy and coffee-rich district of Hassan in Karnataka, makes headlines once every 12 or 14 years. The occasion is the anointing of the 59-foot tall statue of Lord Gomateswara, also known as Lord Bhahubali, the most prominent and sacred deity of Jains, followers Of Lord Mahavira, a contemporary of Lord Buddha.<br><br>Priests climb up the 70-foot high scaffolding and perform the Maha Mastakabhisheka. One thousand and eight pots of sacred water are poured over the head of Lord Gomateswara, followed by the ritual bathing of the statue with milk, ghee, curd, silver and gold coins, flowers, vermillion, saffron and sandalwood paste.<br><br>This year the anointing ceremony assumes special significance since the nude statue, hewn out of a single mass of granite, is 1,000 years old.<br><br>The Gomateswara statue is atop the 3,347-foot high Indragiri hills, and to reach it 614 steps have to be climbed. Mythology, history and lore have it that the statue was built in 981 A.D. during the reign of the Ganga King, Rachamalla, in the then royal kingdom which now forms part of Karnataka.<br><br>The Jain King Vrashaba Deva, the first of the Jain Thirthankaras, renounced his power, pelf and pomp and sought sanctuary in a forest in search of god. His two sons, Bharatha and Bhahubali. inherited the rich and powerful kingdom.<br><br>Soon, however, the two princes were engaged in a long and bloody battle. The younger prince, Bhahubali, triumphed, but renounced all that he had, persuaded his defeated brother to accept the stewardship of the kingdom, and retreated to a forest for a 1,000-year penance. The new king, Bharatha, built a statue at Moudanapura, to perpetuate his brother's memory.<br><br>Old records available suggest that the first anointing ceremony took place in 1398 A.D. According to these records, when there is an auspicious confluence of stars, a particular moment (it falls on February 22 this time) is chosen by astrologers and priests as the most suitable for yet another anointing ceremony.<br><br>This is to be the 71st Maha Mastakabhisheka. The last time this ceremony took place was in 1967.<br><br>Over a million devotees and tourists from India and abroad are expected to converge on the rural township of Sravana-belogola to witness and participate in the events. The five days between February 19 and 24 form the highlight of the month-long sacred ceremony.<br><br>Temple festivals and the solemn procession of temple car-like that of Lord Jagnnath in Puri-will dominate the festivities. Many discourses and seminars on diverse aspects of Indian culture and Indian religions will also be initiated by distinguised scholars, savants and leaders of diverse denominations.<br><br>The anointing cremony is very elaborate, well-planned and expensive. While precise estimates are not available, the cost of the whole affair is certain to run into millions.<br><br>While devotees pour in, so will donations, some of them well publicised and several anonymous. Apart from cash, donations in kind will include rice, milk, ghee, butter, curd, jaggery, sugar, coconuts, vegetables, fruits and all other provisions necessary for non-stop mass feeding, day and night, for weeks on end.<br><br>A large, sprawling tent township has already sprung up to house the large number of visitors. Described by some as the Kumbh Mela of the south, the anointing ceremony is also being treated with respect by the state Government.<br><br>A special fleet of buses will ferry visitors to Sravanabelogola, which is 145 km from Bangalore and 50 km from Hassan. Moreover, the state has also planned to engage the service of helicopters and low-flying aircraft to sprinkle flowers and other offerings on the statue on the sacred day.</p><p><i>- S.R.</i> </p><div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin"><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">AtMigration </div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Nov 27, 2013</div></div></div><div class="sendros">--- ENDS ---</div></div></div>

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Indiascope

<div class="itg-mosimage"><div class="itgimage"><img  title=""  class="" alt="" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F1981February%2Ftruth-22_112713034546.jpg" loading="lazy" /></div>The stone Gomateswara: Lavish ritual<p>A nondescript hamlet with 5,000-odd people, lost in the rural backwash of the paddy and coffee-rich district of Hassan in Karnataka, makes headlines once every 12 or 14 years. The occasion is the anointing of the 59-foot tall statue of Lord Gomateswara, also known as Lord Bhahubali, the most prominent and sacred deity of Jains, followers Of Lord Mahavira, a contemporary of Lord Buddha.<br><br>Priests climb up the 70-foot high scaffolding and perform the Maha Mastakabhisheka. One thousand and eight pots of sacred water are poured over the head of Lord Gomateswara, followed by the ritual bathing of the statue with milk, ghee, curd, silver and gold coins, flowers, vermillion, saffron and sandalwood paste.<br><br>This year the anointing ceremony assumes special significance since the nude statue, hewn out of a single mass of granite, is 1,000 years old.<br><br>The Gomateswara statue is atop the 3,347-foot high Indragiri hills, and to reach it 614 steps have to be climbed. Mythology, history and lore have it that the statue was built in 981 A.D. during the reign of the Ganga King, Rachamalla, in the then royal kingdom which now forms part of Karnataka.<br><br>The Jain King Vrashaba Deva, the first of the Jain Thirthankaras, renounced his power, pelf and pomp and sought sanctuary in a forest in search of god. His two sons, Bharatha and Bhahubali. inherited the rich and powerful kingdom.<br><br>Soon, however, the two princes were engaged in a long and bloody battle. The younger prince, Bhahubali, triumphed, but renounced all that he had, persuaded his defeated brother to accept the stewardship of the kingdom, and retreated to a forest for a 1,000-year penance. The new king, Bharatha, built a statue at Moudanapura, to perpetuate his brother's memory.<br><br>Old records available suggest that the first anointing ceremony took place in 1398 A.D. According to these records, when there is an auspicious confluence of stars, a particular moment (it falls on February 22 this time) is chosen by astrologers and priests as the most suitable for yet another anointing ceremony.<br><br>This is to be the 71st Maha Mastakabhisheka. The last time this ceremony took place was in 1967.<br><br>Over a million devotees and tourists from India and abroad are expected to converge on the rural township of Sravana-belogola to witness and participate in the events. The five days between February 19 and 24 form the highlight of the month-long sacred ceremony.<br><br>Temple festivals and the solemn procession of temple car-like that of Lord Jagnnath in Puri-will dominate the festivities. Many discourses and seminars on diverse aspects of Indian culture and Indian religions will also be initiated by distinguised scholars, savants and leaders of diverse denominations.<br><br>The anointing cremony is very elaborate, well-planned and expensive. While precise estimates are not available, the cost of the whole affair is certain to run into millions.<br><br>While devotees pour in, so will donations, some of them well publicised and several anonymous. Apart from cash, donations in kind will include rice, milk, ghee, butter, curd, jaggery, sugar, coconuts, vegetables, fruits and all other provisions necessary for non-stop mass feeding, day and night, for weeks on end.<br><br>A large, sprawling tent township has already sprung up to house the large number of visitors. Described by some as the Kumbh Mela of the south, the anointing ceremony is also being treated with respect by the state Government.<br><br>A special fleet of buses will ferry visitors to Sravanabelogola, which is 145 km from Bangalore and 50 km from Hassan. Moreover, the state has also planned to engage the service of helicopters and low-flying aircraft to sprinkle flowers and other offerings on the statue on the sacred day.</p><p><i>- S.R.</i> </p><div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin"><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">AtMigration </div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Nov 27, 2013</div></div></div><div class="sendros">--- ENDS ---</div></div></div>

A nondescript hamlet with 5,000-odd people, lost in the rural backwash of the paddy and coffee-rich district of Hassan in Karnataka, makes headlines once every 12 or 14 years.&nbsp;The occasion is the anointing of the 59-foot tall statue of Lord Gomateswara, also known as Lord Bhahubali, the most prominent and sacred deity of Jains, followers Of Lord Mahavira, a contemporary of Lord Buddha.

India Today

A non-descript hamlet with 5,000-odd people, lost in the rural backwash of the paddy and coffee-rich district of Hassan in Karnataka, makes headlines once every 12 or 14 years. The occasion is the anointing of the 59-foot tall statue of Lord Gomateswara, also known as Lord Bhahubali, the most prominent and sacred deity of Jains, followers Of Lord Mahavira, a contemporary of Lord Buddha.

The holy wash - India Today

Karnataka gears up for 71st Maha Mastakabhisheka

The holy wash

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Karnataka gears up for 71st Maha Mastakabhisheka

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