The President of India inaugurated the Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsav 2018 of Gommateshwara Bhagwan Sri Bahubali Swami at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka.
- Governor Vajubhai Vala, CM Siddaramaiah, former PM H D Deve Gowda and many others were also present on the occasion.
- The Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsav is celebrated once every 12 years. It has been celebrated for about a 1,000 years.
- Bahubali or 'One With Strong Arms' was the son of Adinath, the first Tirthankara of Jainism.
- It is a head-anointing ceremony, of the 57-feet tall monolithic statue of Gommateshwara Bhagwan.
- The statue is anointed with flowers, turmeric, and sandalwood powder.
- The Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony in 2018 is said to be 88th in series that commenced in 981 A.D, and second Mahamastakabhisheka of 21st Century.
- While addressing the crowd, the President of India, Mr. Ram Nath Kovind said that this place is a centre of religion, spirituality and Indian culture and had been sending across the message of welfare of mankind.
- The monolith statue is a classic example of India’s rich culture, architecture, artistry and workmanship.
- Mr. Kovind further mentioned that Ahimsa Paramo Dharma is completely reflected in this image. The creepers carved on Bahubali's statue are not just an indicator of his intense ascetic life, they also show how he was one with the nature and was away from pretences.
- The Mahamastakabhisheka has been going on since 981 AD. But the main celebrations will only begin on February 17 when the monolith statue of Bahubali will be bathed with precious water, sandalwood paste, coconut water, turmeric paste, milk, flower and many more.
