Mahamastakabhisheka
{{Short description|Duodecennial Jain festival involving large-scale anointment of Jain images}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = Mahamastakabhisheka
| image = Shravanbelgola Gomateshvara head and torso.jpg
| caption = Anointing of the Gommateshwara statue in 2006
| nickname = Translation: Head Anointing of Gommateshwara
| observedby = Jains
| date = Decided by the luni-solar Jain calendar
| observances = Prayers, Jain rituals
| celebrations = Anointing the statue of Gommateshwara with milk, saffron, sugarcane juice, sandal paste, rice flour, flowers etc.
| longtype = Religious
| significance = Completion of the statue of Gommateshwara statue
| frequency = every 12 years
| date2018 =
| date2030 =
| type =
}}
File:Mahamastakabhisheka - Gommateshwara statue (2).jpg
The Māhāmastakābhiṣeka ("Grand Consecration") refers to the abhiṣeka (anointment) of the Jain idols 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.
The festival is held in veneration of a {{convert|17.4|m|adj=on}} high monolithic statue of the Siddha Bahubali. The anointing last took place in February 2018, and the next ceremony will take place in 2030.{{cite news|last=Correspondent|first=TNN|title=Mahamastakabhisheka of Bahubali begins today|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mahamastakabhisheka-of-Bahubali-begins-today/articleshow/1405368.cms|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126045715/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-02-08/india/27796348_1_bahubali-mahamastakabhisheka-shravanabelagola|url-status=live|archive-date=26 January 2013|access-date=19 December 2012|newspaper=The Times of India|date=8 February 2006}} 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.{{citation|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/Dates-for-Mahamastabhisheka-at-Shravanabelagola-announced/article16444430.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=13 October 2016| access-date=26 February 2018|title=Dates for Mahamastabhisheka at Shravanabelagola announced |author=Staff Reporter}}
Anointment of the Gommateshwara Bahubali image
Bahubali, the son of Rishabhanatha, the first of the twenty-four Jain Tirthankaras, is worshipped 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.{{sfn|Zimmer|1953|p=212}} 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 - accessible through a flight of 700 steps.{{Sfn|Muni Kshamāsāgara|2006|p=49}}
=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 (kalashas). 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.{{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qqei_Wo1qXwC|title=Pilgrimage Centres of India|first=Brajesh|last=Kumar|publisher=Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd.|date=2003|isbn=9788171821853|page=199}} 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.{{Sfn|Sangave|p=106}}
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.{{cite book|last1=Drivedi|first1=Rakesh Narayan|page=65|title=राही मासूम रज़ा और उनके औपन्याससक पात्र}} Anointment of the other Gommateshwara statues in Karnataka are also honoured with a Mahamastakabhisheka festival every 12 years.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}
- Dharmasthala Mahamastakabhisheka was last held from 9 to 18 February 2019. The previous Mahamastakabhishekas were held in 1982, 1995 and 2007.{{Cite web |last=A, DHNS |first=Naina J. |title=Mahamastakabhisheka at Dharmasthala from February 9 |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/mahamastakabhisheka-711077.html |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}
- Karkala Mahamastakabhisheka - The last Mahamastakabhisheka was held from 21 to 31 January 2015.{{Cite web |last=DHNS |title=Karkala decks up for 'Mahamastakabhisheka' |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/karkala-decks-up-mahamastakabhisheka-2107747 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}
- Venur Mahamastakabhisheka - The last one was from 28 January 2012 to 5 February 2012. The next one will be in 2024.{{cite web |url=http://www.venur.in/?page_id=145 |title=Venur Mahamastakabhisheka 2012 |access-date=27 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218031135/http://www.venur.in/?page_id=145 |archive-date=18 February 2013 }}
- Kumbhoj Mahamastakabhisheka - The last Mahamastakabhisheka was held in 2015, and the next will be in 2027.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}
See also
References
=Citations=
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{citation |last=Jaini |first=Padmanabh S. |author-link=Padmanabh Jaini |title=The Jaina Path of Purification |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wE6v6ahxHi8C |date=1998 |orig-year=1979 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |location=Delhi |isbn=978-81-208-1578-0 |ref=none }}
- {{cite book |last=Zimmer |first=Heinrich |author-link=Heinrich Zimmer |title=Philosophies Of India |date=1953 |orig-year=April 1952 |editor-first=Joseph |editor-last=Campbell |editor-link=Joseph Campbell |publisher=Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd |location=London |url=https://archive.org/details/Philosophy.of.India.by.Heinrich.Zimmer |isbn=978-81-208-0739-6 }}
- {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=09NCaJ_3GFwC|title=Naga Varmma's Karnataka Bhasha Bhushana|first=Lewis |last=Rice|date=1985|publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=9788120600621}}
- {{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p0wSoEIub1YC|title=Gazetteer of Mysore|first=B. L. |last=Rice|publisher=Asian Educational Services|date=2001|isbn=9788120609778|ref=none }}
- {{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nZ3S6CW5KKQC|title=The Sacred Sravana-Belagola|publisher=Bhartiya Jnanpith Prakash|first=Vilas Adinath|last=Sangave|access-date=16 November 2017|ref={{SfnRef|Sangave}} |year=1981}}
- {{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MSieVNwsAAIC|title=In quest of the self|first=Muni |last=Kshamāsāgara|publisher=Bhartiya Jnanpith|isbn=9788126311668|access-date=16 November 2017|ref={{SfnRef|Muni Kshamāsāgara|2006}} |year=2006}}
External links
{{commons category|Mahamastakabhisheka}}
- [http://www.mahamasthakabhisheka.com Mahamasthakabhisheka Bahubali Official Website]
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/629/629/4736362.stm BBC News Special: Interview and Photo Reportage]
{{Jainism Topics}}