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Literally meaning 'the grand ceremonial head anointing
of Bahubali', this Jain festival is celebrated in the town of Shravana Belagola,
in Karnataka. Gomateshwara Bahubali was the son of King Rishabhadeva. The community
holds him in very high regard for he was the first to have attained salvation.
As a mark of respect to this great saint, his 18-metre high statue is ceremonially
anointed every 12 years.
Millions of devotees converge to Shravana Belagola for the occasion. Observed
regularly since the installation of the statue in 981 AD, the last anointing was
on December 19,1993. Preparation for this ceremony takes about 18 days. On the
day of the festival, worship begins at dawn. One thousand and eight small metal
vessels containing water are placed neatly in the courtyard below the gigantic
sculpture, considered divine. At daybreak, a select group of priests, chanting
hymns, arrange the pots in a traditional geometrical pattern. Devotees then lift
these vessels and climb up the 600 stairs to the top of the enormous statue, and
position themselves on the scaffolding. To the sound of conches, cymbals, trumpets,
incantations and piped music, the splendid libation commences. Those on the scaffolding
shower consecrated water from the pots on the assembly below. |
The statue is bathed with unending quantities of
milk, sugarcane juice, pastes of saffron, sandalwood, and therapeutic herbal lotions.
Powders of coconut, turmeric, saffron, vermilion and sandalwood are then sprayed
on the statue. Precious stones, gold, silver, petals and coins are offered in
reverence. The spectacular finale to this 10-hour ceremony is a shower of flowers
from a helicopter. At the conclusion of the Mahamastak Abhishek, devotees retrace
their steps down the stairs with a feeling of fulfillment.
According to a legend, King Rishabhadeva had two sons, Bharata and Bahubali. In
keeping with the traditions of Varnashram Dharma, the king decided to renounce
the world.Before this, he distributed his property, giving Ayodhya to his elder
son Bharata and Podanpura to his second son Bahubali. |
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| Since King Bharata desired to become a Chakravarti
monarch, he began conquering all the neighboring kingdoms. On returning victorious
to Ayodhya, he received a great shock. The chariot would not enter his kingdom,
indicating that at least one ruler's territory had yet to be captured. Bharata
realized that he had not conquered his brother's domain and tried to negotiate
a settlement with him, but Bahubali refused to accept his supremacy. This resulted
in war-like tension. To avoid the bloodshed of innocent soldiers, the two brothers
decided to battle by staring into each other's eyes or drishtiyudha, throwing
water at each other or jalayudha, and wrestling or malayudha. Bahubali was the
winner in each of these contests. |
| Bharata was so deeply humiliated
by his defeat that in a fit of rage, he threw one of the wheels from his chariot
at his brother. However, since the wheel had supernatural powers, it could not
hurt a relative, so Bahubali was unharmed. But at the moment Bahubali realized
the futility of the fight. Dismayed and disgusted at what the lust for power and
greed could do, he left his kingdom and decided to strive for spiritual peace.
The repentant Bharata entreated Bahubali not to renounce the world but he declined.
Bahubali stood in penance for so long that creeper grew up his legs and spread
onto his arms. Despite the calm facial expression of Bahubali, kevalgyan eluded
him. He could not free himself from the thought that he stood on land that belonged
to Bharata. Realizing this, Bharata prayed at his feet. He implored Bahubali not
to think of the land as belonging to either brother. This truth suddenly dawned
on Bahubali. He achieved complete enlightenment and soon thereafter attained salvation.
Bharata then decided to get a huge gold statue of Bahubali installed at Podanpura. |
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