Mahamastakabhisheka

Mahamastakabhisheka
Anointing of Gommateshwara
Also called	Translation: Head Anointing of Gommateshwara
Observed by	Jains
Type	Religious
Significance	Completion of the statue of Gommateshwara
Celebrations	Anointing the statue of Gommateshwara with milk, saffron, flowers, etc.
Observances	Prayers, Religious rituals
Date	Decided by the luni-solar Jain calendar
Frequency	every 12 years

The Mahamastakabhisheka (lit. grand consecration) is an important Jain festival held once every twelve years in the town of Shravanabelagola in Karnataka, India. The festival is held in veneration of a 17.3736 metres (57.000 ft) high statue of the siddha Bahubali. The anointing last took place in 2006, and the next ceremony is going to take place in 2018.

As the Mahamastakabhisheka begins, consecrated water is sprinkled onto the participants by devotees carrying 1,008 specially prepared vessels. 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. 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.

Purified water and sandalwood paste is poured over the statue from a scaffolding. This event continues for weeks.

Apart from the Gommateshwara statue at Shravana Belgola, all the other Gommateshwara statues in Karnataka are also honoured with a Mahamastakabhisheka festival every 12 years.

Mahamastakabhisheka preparations

Mahamastakabhisheka prayers

Close up of the head of Gommateshwara statue at Shravanabelagola being anointed with saffron during Mahamastakabhisheka festival in 2002

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Wikipedia