Mahamasthakabhisheka performed

Mysuru :

With thousands of Jain pilgrims chanting “Gomateshwara Maharaj Ki jai” and “Bhagavan Bahubali Ki Jai” to the accompaniment of chanting of vedic hymns by priests, the pilgrim town of Gommatagiri located off Mysuru-Hunsur Road today came alive during the 65th Mahamasthakabhisheka to the statue of Lord Gommateshwara.

During the Mahamasthakabhisheka, the grey granite statue of Gommateshwara went from white to red to golden yellow within minutes as it was anointed with turmeric, kumkum, sandal paste, milk, curds, vermilion honey and other fragrant fluids.

The rituals were held under the supervision of Sri Devendra Keerthi Bhattaraka Pattacharya of Hombuja Jain Mutt.

The granite statue, considered to be from the earlier Vijayanagar period located atop a 50 metre tall hillock, closely resembles its famous counterpart Shravanabelagola.

Though it is not clear who installed that statue, scholars opine that the influence of Jainism in the region was unmistakable and was perhaps one of the reasons for its installation at Gommatagiri.

S. Jithendra Kumar, President, Karnataka Jain Association, was the chief guest on the occasion.

At the function in which retired Registrar of Karnataka Lokayukta – M.J. Indra Kumar, Assistant Registrar of Lokayukta – A.C. Vidyadhar, Gommatagiri Kshetra Seva Samithi President Dr. Prabha Mandal, Hon. President G.A. Suresh Kumar, Secretary Dr. M.V. Shanthakumar were among those present

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News  /  Sunday , November 30th, 2014