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Preparations on for Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony
by KG Vasuki

     Shravanbelagola (Karnataka): With the "Mahamastakabhisheka" or , the head anointing ceremony, of a 57- feet high statue of Lord Bahubali just a few weeks away, Jain monks from all parts of India have started converging on this holy town of Karnataka to participate in the grand ceremony held once in 12 years. Performed by millions of devotees, the "Mahamastakabhisheka" ceremony holds a great significance for people from the Jain community, especially monks belonging to its "Digambar" sect. The main ceremony is held for nine days but prayers are organised for three more days. Bahubali, according to Jain tradition, symbolizes renunciation and self-control required for salvation.

    Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji, the Chief of the Shravanabelagola monastery, situated 160 kilometres from Bangalore, says that around three million devotees from across the country are expected to reach the holy town for the 12-day long ceremony. During the 10-hour anointing ceremony on all the nine days, appointed priests will stand on a temporary wooden structure behind the huge statue and anoint it with water, tender coconut water, sugarcane juice, milk, rice flour, turmeric paste, herbal concoction, saffron, gold and silver flowers, precious stones and finally with a shower of flowers.

    Last time, the "Mahamastakabhisheka" ceremony was attended by over 15 lakh (1.5 million) devotees from all the corners of the country. This time we are expecting 30 lakh (3 million) people. Even the duration of the festival has been increased .We are holding the ceremony everyday for nine days," says Charukeerthi. Jainism, which was founded in the sixth century B.C., split into two groups--Digambaras and Shwetambaras--in A.D. 82. The Digambara preachers wear no clothes and the Shwetambara preachers wear white clothes. Both the sects worship the religion's founder Vardhamana Mahavira and a host of Jain saints. They believe in overcoming the senses by meditation and penance. Oblivious to the world around them, the cloth-less monks are gearing up for the "Mahamastakabhishekha" ceremony. "Once we renounce the worldly pleasures, we find solace which cannot be found in materialistic world," says Onkareshwar, a monk. Besides other distinguished people from all walks of life, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also likely to attend the ceremony. The ceremony begins on February 8.
-Jan 22, 2006