Festive fervour grips Gommatagiri; Jain community members congregate at the Holy place

Mysuru: The grand celebrations of Mahamastakabhisheka began at Gommatagiri in Hunsur yesterday. This year also marks the 75th year of celebrations of the Mahamastakabhisheka organised by Sri Gommatagiri Kshetra Seva Samithi.

With the Mahamastakabhisheka scheduled for tomorrow (Dec. 15), a large number of devotees belonging to the Jain community and others from Mysuru, Bengaluru, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Hassan district are expected to take part.

This year being the platinum jubilee of Mahamastakabhisheka, the celebrations are held for three days, unlike every year where the celebrations were restricted to one day. Mizoram Governor C.H. Vijayashankar inaugurated the celebrations in presence of Suttur Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji, Swastishri Bhuvanakeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji of Sri Kshetra Kanakagiri, Swastishri Dr. Devendra Keerti Bhattaraka Swamiji of Hombuja Kshetra and Swastishri Abhinava Charukeerthi Swamiji of Shravanabelagola.

The rituals of auctioning 108 kalasas were held at 10.30 am following which abhisheka was performed to the statue of Bhagawan Bahubali at 12.30 pm amidst chanting of hymns by Jain munis and scholars. Along with water, abhisheka was performed using turmeric, tender coconut, milk, sugarcane juice, kumkum, sandalwood paste, kesari and ash. It was followed by a showering of                                                           flower petals and poornakumbha jalabhisheka.

Special buses have been deployed to Gommatagiri from Mysuru, KRS and other locations. Jain community members, who started to arrive at the holy place a day before the commencement of the festivities, have been camping at Gommatagiri to take part in the grand celebrations which would culminate tomorrow (Dec. 15) with the grand Mahamastakabhisheka at 11 am.

 Nostalgic

C.H. Vijayashankar, who inaugurated the three-day Mahamastakabhisheka at Gommatagiri, remembered visiting the holy place in his childhood. “I have been visiting Gommatagiri since childhood. “I was a part of the celebrations during my tenure as a forest minister in 2011. Now, I have returned to Gommatagiri as a Governor of Mizoram” said C.H. Vijayashankar.