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Feb 16 procession at Shravanabelagola enters Golden Book of Records

Last Updated 22 February 2018, 05:35 IST

The six-kilometre-long procession, taken out around Vindhyagiri as part of the 88th Mahamastakabhisheka on February 16, has entered the Golden Book of Records for being the 'largest musical parade,' leaving the people belonging to the Jain community overjoyed.

More than 200 folk troupes and 12,000 people, including artistes, Jain munis, matajis and devotees took part in the procession. A variety of tableaux, depicting the Jain culture and tradition, from across the state added glitter to the procession.

A number of people worked hard for the success of the procession, including procession sub-committee president M Ajith Kumar, members Pramod Kumar and Mahaveer, Bahubali Engineering College principal Gommateshwara Ravannanavar and engineer Santosh Kumar, who prepared the route map.

With Mahamastakabhisheka drawing lakhs of devotees from across the globe, Lord Bahubali has turned into an international brand. Jain seer Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swami, who is leading the Mahamastakabhisheka, agreed that the number of foreign devotees visiting Shravanabelagola has increased.

Speaking to DH, the seer said though they had been trying to propagate the messages of Bahubali through literature, the experience you get when you personally visit Shravanabelagola and have darshan is different. Those leaving the Jain pilgrimage centre carry a message of world peace and sacrifice, he said.

A few changes have been made in the customs and the rituals of the Mahamastakabhisheka for the benefit of devotees, but the basic tradition is intact, he said. The youths have enthusiastically involved themselves for the success of the festival, the seer added.

1,000-kalasha abhisheka

On Wednesday, a 1,000-kalasha jalabhisheka was held from 8.30 am to 12 noon. The statue of Bahubali was anointed with tender coconut water, sugarcane juice, milk, turmeric and sandal paste amid the chanting of hymns by thousands of devotees. The statue was also anointed with 'Kashaya,' made of herbal ingredients. It symbolises destruction of hatred and evil desires from people's minds. The herbal ingredients protect the statue, it is said.

Adichunchanagiri seer Nirmalanandanatha Swami and seers of the Mutt's branches climbed Vindhyagiri and had darshan of Bahubali on Wednesday.

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(Published 22 February 2018, 05:34 IST)

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