Ratnagiri soaks in Mahamastakabhisheka fervour of Lord Bahubali

Dharmasthala: The epitome of sacrifice – all of 39 feet high – stood still amid all the devotion around him. The occasion was the fourth edition of anointment of Lord Bahubali which got under way at Ratnagiri of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala at the auspicious meena lagna here on Saturday.
D Veerendra Heggade, dharmadhikari, Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala and his family led the proceedings to kickstart the three-day Mahamastakabhisheka proceedings.

First up was jalabhisheka with 1,008 kalashas containing purified water followed by pouring of tender coconut water on the monolith. Next was offering of sugarcane juice to the Lord, followed by pouring of milk. Kalka churna was offered next and a generous offering of turmeric after that saw the idol turn yellow, which was cleansed when devotees performed the ‘kashaya abhisheka’.

Once these rituals were over, the focus shifted to the Chatushkona abhisheka rituals where kalashas placed in four corners of the vast stone platform in front of the lord were taken up the mammoth scaffolding. The offering of sandalwood paste and ‘ashtagandha’ surcharged the atmosphere even as devotees soaked in the devotional fervour. The granite idol assumed a different hue amid the sun beating down hard.

The finale came when flower petals were showered on the idol, a garland offered and arathi performed. The first day’s Mahamastakabhisheka proceedings ended with the offering of poorna kumbha abhisheka to the deity. Volunteers ensured that devotees who had obtained passes for the kalashabhisheka went up the scaffolding in an orderly manner and performed rituals with near and dear ones.

Devotees had the option to pay Rs 1,008 for the janamangala kalash, Rs 5,555 for the divya kalash and Rs 25,000 for the shraddha kalash. While a person opting for janamangala kalash could be accompanied by three persons, those who bought the divya kalash and shraddha kalash could take 8 and 15 people respectively up the scaffolding. In the surcharged atmosphere, the organisers did not enforce these numbers strictly.

Earlier, the kalashas were brought in a grand procession from the 600-year-old Sri Chandranath Swami Basadi after religious rituals were performed there. The kalash passed in front Sri Manjunatha Temple where a brief prayer was offered for the success of the event. Heggade said it’s the ritual of the Kshetra for water used in anointment rituals to be cleansed at the Basadi before it is poured on the Lord.