Mangalore (Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka), January 28, 2012: The nine-day mahamasthakabhisheka event, which marks the anointing of Lord Bahubali after 12 years at Venur from Saturday, will not only provide spiritual solace to the religiously inclined, but the socio-cultural spread in terms of seminars, entertainment and cultural programmes will treat art lovers as well as the religious literary buffs.
What is commendable is the fact that the mahamasthakabhisheka provides a platform for local artistes as all performers are from this coastal region.
The inauguration of this mega event will be at the hands of chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda on Saturday at 3.30 pm. The most notable feature of this event is that it is the only mahamasthakabhisheka wherein a successor of Ajila Dynasty – which erected the Bahubali in 1604 AD – Dr Padmaprasad Ajila, will guide religious activities and he is also the president of the reception committee. The president of the committee is D. Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari, Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala.
The festivities will also see the presence of three elderly Jain digambara Munis, nine Ariga mathas 14 Bhattarakas and other top Jain leaders.
Ashok Jain, secretary of the Bhagavan Shri Bahubali Swami Mahamasthakabhisheka Committee, says that on the first four days the expected crowd for the event would be between 10,000-20,000, which will cross 30,000- 40,000 on the last days of the event.
“We expect the total numbers crossing one lakh mark during the nine day festivities,” he said.
Mahamasthakabhisheka Committee Executive President V Dhananjaya Kumar says they expected the last day’s attendance to cross a lakh. “There is enough space available for all devotees and others who want to witness the event even outside the main areas,” he said. The event cost is pegged at Rs 1.5 crore. “We have almost reached the target as far as funds are collected mostly through donations for kalasa and from `poshaks,” added Kumar.
One of the highlights of the event will be “pusphavristhi” (showering of flowers) by a helicopter. “It’s not on till now. We definitely want it. We will talk to Chief Minister to spare a helicopter on one of the days for the event,” said Kumar.
On Thursday, the `ole muhurat’ was conducted marking the opening of the kitchen to serve the guests and devotees. Understanding the present day needs, the organizers have made arrangement for buffet system for meals as also serving in two separate pandals. Each pandal can cater to 1,000 (serving type) to 2,000 (buffet type) people at a time, says
Premkumar Hosmar, chief coordinator and Ashok Kumar, coordinator of the Food Committee. “We are ready with a 10,000 sq ft kitchen where 70 cooks will prepare meals, with three chefs.
Kumar says that after the nine day festivities, the scaffolding will not be removed till monsoons and Jains from others centres can come and perform abhishekha for Lord Bahubali and clarified that only Jains will be allowed to perform this ritual to Bahubali. – News Courtesy: Times of India