Shravanabelagola

It was a long awaited break during a very hectic tour and all of us were itching to get out of the city. We had two options either go to one of the national parks or to see the colossal statue of Gomatheswar. It was a week before the Maha Masthaka Abhisheka, or the 'Head Anointing Ceremony' – the chief festival of Sravanabelagola, which happens once, every 12 years and I didn’t need any other reason to decide.
















Sravanabelagola means 'the monk on the top of the hill' and it is one of the most revered spiritual sites of Jainism. A 3 hour bus ride from Bangalore to Hassan and 614 steps up the hill of Vindhyagiri led us to the feet of Gomateshwar a.k.a Lord Bahubali.


Preparations for the Maha Masthaka Abhisheka were in full swing and a scaffolding structure was built around the statue. Flags and beautiful light bulbs were installed and the village was spruced up to accommodate a million pilgrims.




















Hermits, mystics and ascetics have journeyed through thickly wooded forests and lived there since at least the third century BC. Unlike them, the only thing that we had to bear with was walking barefoot on the scorching granite steps leading uphill to the temple. 




Carved out of monolithic stone, the imposing 17 metres high statue of Gomata towers stands in majestic splendor and the calm demeanor of Lord Bahubali as he stands naked, detached from all worldly pleasures which is a sight to behold.

Starkly simple, the beautifully chiselled features of the world’s largest free standing statue embody serenity. His perfect lips are turned out at the corners with a hint of a smile, viewing the world with detachment.

We spent time looking around the place. The stone carvings on the entrance, the ceiling and even outside the temple were exquisite. 

The mast head at the entrance of the temple with Goddess Lakshmi perched at the top was one such example.

Lunch was temple food made with Jain regulations of no onion, potatoes and definitely nothing non-veg. We were hungry for more.

So we ordered for some Dal Bhati to be cooked at a Gujarati restaurant as we proceeded to the mountain opposite to see the statute of Bahubali’s stepbrother – Bharata, which was half buried.

After a lot more temples and a few more pictures we decided to come down the fastest way by sliding down. The oldest in our group was the most enthusiastic with the sliding and the eating.

Within a week the place would have a festive look. During the morning of the grand abhisheka, priests would chant holy mantras and pour thousands of gallons of milk, honey and precious herbs over the head of the statue. While flowing downwards over the body, these offerings are believed to acquire a powerful charge of spiritual energy. They are collected at the feet and distributed to those who believe that the gift will assist their quest for enlightenment. Maybe some other time I would get to witness it live.

But also the next time I might not get such a beautiful view of the countryside. And so I decided to live for the moment and along with Lord Bahubali I enjoyed the view with contentment and a smile on my face.