The Mahamastakabhisheka ("Grand Consecration", "The Great Indian Festival") refers to the abhiṣeka (anointment) of the Jain images when held on a large scale. The most famous of such consecrations is the anointment of the BahubaliGommateshwara statue 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.
Gommateshwara statue during the Grand Consecration in August 2018
The festival is held in veneration of a 17.4-metre (57 ft) high monolithic statue of the Siddha Bahubali. The anointing last took place in February 2018, and the next ceremony will take place in 2030.[1] 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. The February 2018 event was held under the leadership of Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji of Shravanabelagola from 17 to 25 February 2018.[2]
Bhagwan Bahubali, the son of Bhagwan Rishabhanatha, 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.[3] 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 Hills - accessible through a flight of 700 steps.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6]
Other Mahamastakabhishekas
Apart from the anointment of the Gommateshwara statue at Shravana Belgola, anointment of the Jaina images take place at Jain temples throughout India.[7] Anointment of the other Gommateshwara statues in Karnataka are also honoured with a Mahamastakabhisheka festival every 12 years.[citation needed]
^Correspondent, TNN (8 February 2006). "Mahamastakabhisheka of Bahubali begins today". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
^Staff Reporter (13 October 2016), "Dates for Mahamastabhisheka at Shravanabelagola announced", The Hindu, retrieved 26 February 2018
Rice, Lewis (1985). Naga Varmma's Karnataka Bhasha Bhushana. ISBN9788120600621.
Rice, B. L. (2001), Gazetteer of Mysore, Asian Educational Services, ISBN9788120609778
Sangave, Vilas Adinath (1981), The Sacred Sravana-Belagola, Bhartiya Jnanpith Prakash, retrieved 16 November 2017
Kshamāsāgara, Muni (2006), In quest of the self, Bhartiya Jnanpith, ISBN9788126311668, retrieved 16 November 2017
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mahamastakabhisheka.
Mahamasthakabhisheka Bahubali Official Website
BBC News Special: Interview and Photo Reportage
January 21, 2023
mahamastakabhisheka, grand, consecration, great, indian, festival, refers, abhiṣeka, anointment, jain, images, when, held, large, scale, most, famous, such, consecrations, anointment, bahubali, gommateshwara, statue, located, shravanabelagola, karnataka, india. The Mahamastakabhisheka Grand Consecration The Great Indian Festival refers to the abhiṣeka 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 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 MahamastakabhishekaAnointing of the Gommateshwara statue in 2006Also calledTranslation Head Anointing of GommateshwaraObserved byJainsTypeReligiousSignificanceCompletion of the statue of Gommateshwara statueCelebrationsAnointing the statue of Gommateshwara with milk saffron sugarcane juice sandal paste rice flour flowers etc ObservancesPrayers Jain ritualsDateDecided by the luni solar Jain calendarFrequencyevery 12 yearsGommateshwara statue during the Grand Consecration in August 2018 The festival is held in veneration of a 17 4 metre 57 ft high monolithic statue of the Siddha Bahubali The anointing last took place in February 2018 and the next ceremony will take place in 2030 1 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 The February 2018 event was held under the leadership of Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji of Shravanabelagola from 17 to 25 February 2018 2 Contents 1 Anointment of the Gommateshwara Bahubali image 1 1 Procedure 2 Other Mahamastakabhishekas 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Sources 5 External linksAnointment of the Gommateshwara Bahubali image EditBhagwan Bahubali the son of Bhagwan Rishabhanatha 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 3 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 Hills accessible through a flight of 700 steps 4 Procedure Edit 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 5 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 6 Other Mahamastakabhishekas EditApart from the anointment of the Gommateshwara statue at Shravana Belgola anointment of the Jaina images take place at Jain temples throughout India 7 Anointment of the other Gommateshwara statues in Karnataka are also honoured with a Mahamastakabhisheka festival every 12 years citation needed Dharmasthala Mahamastakabhisheka citation needed Karkala Mahamastakabhisheka The last Mahamastakabhisheka was held in February 2002 and the next will be in 2015 8 better source needed Venur Mahamastakabhisheka The last one was from 28 January 2012 to 5 February 2012 The next one will be in 2024 9 better source needed Kumbhoj Mahamastakabhisheka The last Mahamastakabhisheka was held in 2015 and the next will be in 2027 citation needed See also EditJain rituals and festivals Panch Kalyanaka Jainism in KarnatakaReferences EditCitations Edit Correspondent TNN 8 February 2006 Mahamastakabhisheka of Bahubali begins today The Times of India Archived from the original on 26 January 2013 Retrieved 19 December 2012 Staff Reporter 13 October 2016 Dates for Mahamastabhisheka at Shravanabelagola announced The Hindu retrieved 26 February 2018 Zimmer 1953 p 212 Muni Kshamasagara 2006 p 49 Kumar Brajesh 2003 Pilgrimage Centres of India Diamond Pocket Books P Ltd p 199 ISBN 9788171821853 Sangave p 106 Drivedi Rakesh Narayan र ह म स म रज और उनक औपन य ससक प त र p 65 Karkala Mahamastakabhisheka 2014 Venur Mahamastakabhisheka 2012 Archived from the original on 18 February 2013 Retrieved 27 January 2012 Sources Edit Jaini Padmanabh S 1998 1979 The Jaina Path of Purification Delhi Motilal Banarsidass ISBN 978 81 208 1578 0 Zimmer Heinrich 1953 April 1952 Campbell Joseph ed Philosophies Of India London Routledge amp Kegan Paul Ltd ISBN 978 81 208 0739 6 Rice Lewis 1985 Naga Varmma s Karnataka Bhasha Bhushana ISBN 9788120600621 Rice B L 2001 Gazetteer of Mysore Asian Educational Services ISBN 9788120609778 Sangave Vilas Adinath 1981 The Sacred Sravana Belagola Bhartiya Jnanpith Prakash retrieved 16 November 2017 Kshamasagara Muni 2006 In quest of the self Bhartiya Jnanpith ISBN 9788126311668 retrieved 16 November 2017External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mahamastakabhisheka Mahamasthakabhisheka Bahubali Official Website BBC News Special Interview and Photo Reportage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mahamastakabhisheka amp oldid 1112556096, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
