Hassan: Having paid a hefty fee of Rs 11.61 crore to the Shravanabelagola Jain Mutt, the family of a businessman from Rajasthan, Ashok Patni, had the honour of performing the first Jalabhisheka or bathing the towering statue of Bahubali with holy water filled in kalasas or auspicious pots, on Saturday as the nine-day Mahamastakbhisheka began on the Vindhyagiri Hill, Shravanabelagola at 2.25 pm.
The Patni family, which hails from Kishengarh, Ajmer has bagged the honour for the second time as it was the first to bathe Bahubali’s statue with holy water during the 2006 Mahamastabhisheka too. It had then paid a fee of Rs 1.08 crore to the mutt , which was used to build a hospital for children.
Pontiff of the Shravanabelagola Jain Mutt, Charukeethy Bhattaraka Swamiji, told the gathering that the large amount given by Mr Ashok Patni this time would be used for the construction of a hospital. After participating in the holy bathing of the statue, Mr Subham, a Patni family member, told the Deccan Chronicle that “it was fascinating to perform the head anointing ceremony of the statue.” Another family member, Sanmathi Kumar Chabra said it felt “very nice and was an emotional moment.”
With many devotees lining up to perform the kalasa seva to the Bahubali statue, organisers rushed through the jalabhisheka. And later the Bahubali statue turned white with milk rolling down its head, followed by tender coconut water, herbal liquids, sandal paste, ashtagandha, and saffron. It was also showered with flowers made of gold and silver and precious stones before the head anointing ceremony concluded with a mangalarathi to the statue.
