Rajasthani Businessman Buys First Holy Vessel For Rs 11.6 Cr at Shravanabelagola Mahamastakabhisheka

BENGALURU: A holy vessel or Kalasha filled with milk, honey, herbs, saffron, turmeric, sandalwood powder, coconut water and other expensive things was bought by a Rajasthani businessman Ashok Patni for a whopping Rs 11.6 crores at the Mahamastakabhisheka in Shravanabelagola on Saturday. On the first day of the once in 12 years, 88th head anointment or bathing of the 58.8 feet tall monolithic statue of Bahubali or Gommateshwara, Patni who is into several businesses bought the Kalasha for almost Rs 12 crore claim the organising committee sources.

The buyer of the first Kalasha gets the privilege of offering the inaugural bath to the statue. Ashok Patni and his family performed the first Mahamastakabhisheka rituals at 2:32 PM on Saturday. He runs RK Marbles, a multi-crore company in Jaipur.

Even in 2006, he had bought the Kalasha for Rs.1.6 crores at the 87th Mahamastakabhisheka. The local Jain mutt which oversees the rituals told News18 that the money will be used to build a 200-bed multi-speciality charity hospital at Shravanabelagola.

Kolkata based businessmen Pankaj Jain and Paras Jain bought the second Kalasha for an undisclosed amount.

On the first day the giant, majestic statue was bathed by the Jain pilgrims with 108 such Kalashas. From tomorrow onwards every day, 1008 Kalashas will be used until the last day. The event concludes on February 26th.

For the poor Jain pilgrims the Mutt administration keeps free Kalashas. The Kalashas are taken to the top of the statue using temporary scaffolds. Then, it is poured over the head of the statue.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah climbed all 640 steps under the scorching sun to reach the Bahubali statue installed above Vindhyagiri hills. He refused to use the dolly and preferred to walk with other devotees.

This year, President Ramnath Kovind inaugurated the event on February 7. In 2006, the then President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had inaugurated it. Shravanabelagola has attracted all the Presidents and Prime Ministers after Independence. The first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru had visited it along with his daughter Indira Gandhi in 1951. He had said “I feel humbled. I am speechless”.

As the Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi had participated in the Mahamastakabhisheka in 1967 and 1981.

She had used a helicopter to throw petals on the statue. 1981 was the 1000th year of both Mahamastakabhishekha and installing of the statue of Gommateshwara. From Ganga Kings to Mysore Wodeyars – the once in twelve years “Mahamastakabhisheka” has been an unbroken tradition for the past 1038 years. It was held with all religious fervour even during the regime of Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan.