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Mahamastakabhisheka off to a colourful start at Venur
Karnataka
Mangalore,
January 29,2012: The nine-day anointment (Mahamastakabhisheka celebrations) of
the 35-foot monolith Venoor Bhagwan Shri Bahubali Swamy celebrations in Venur
began on a colourful note on Saturday. Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda
inaugurated the celebrations.
Mahamastakabhisheka is held once in every 12 years in a grand manner.
Streets leading up to Akkangala Basadi, which is behind the statue of Bahubali,
were decorated. The rituals leading up to Mahamastakabhisheka began with a
procession led by a decorated elephant. The procession went in
circumambulation around the site of Bahubali's statue. Several women dressed
in identical saris walked behind the elephant in two lines holding kalashas.
The kalashas contained water that would be used in the Mahamastakabhisheka
rituals.
Head of the Ajila princely family, Padmaprasad Ajila, poured the first
kalasha of water, followed by his family members. A total of 108 kalashas of
water were poured on the first day, besides many other items, including
sandalwood paste and milk. The devotees poured water over the statue of
Bahubali from a specially constructed platform and paid obeisance. A large
number of devotees watched the proceedings.
The Ajila princely family is credited to have taken pains to install
the statue – known as Naguva Gommata (the smiling Gommata) – in 1609 on
the banks of the Phalguni river. The Heggade family was present. Before the
formal inauguration, religious leaders, including Acharya 108 Gunadharanandi
Maharaj, addressed the devotees. The acharya said that Gandhi and Anna Hazare
followed the concepts of ahimsa which were propounded by Mahaveera. Devotees
frequently raised slogans of “Bahubali ki jai” and “Parshwanath swamy ki
jai”.
By the end of the formal programme, the number of people swelled.
Several book stalls selling books related to the Jain history and religion
were set up near the venue. Hundreds of people visited the basadi of
Chandranatha Swami which is behind the statue of Bahubali.
Earlier, Mr. Gowda said that a Jain Adhyayana Peetha would be set up in
Mangalore University and allocations would be made in the next budget. The
peetha would help spread the Jain philosophy among the people. Mr. Gowda
requested the Special Representative of the Karnataka Government in Delhi,
Dhananjay Kumar, to ensure that funds meant for minorities also reached the
Jain community. He was responding to Acharya 108 Gunadharanandi Maharaja's
remark that although the government released Rs. 400 crore for minorities
every year, only Rs. 2 crore had reached the Jain community. He said that he
would look into the demand for providing reservation to the Jain community.
Source: The Hindu
PIL seeks declaration of Tirumalai hill as ancient monument
Madurai, January 11, 2012 (PTI): A PIL seeking declaration of Tirumalai hill in
Sivaganga district as an ancient monument was filed in the Madras High
Court bench here today. Admitting the PIL, Justices Chitra Venkatraman and Karuppiah ordered
issue of notice to the Central and State Archaeological Department heads, among others, returnable within 15 days.
The petitioner contended that the hill in Tirumalai Konneripatti village
in Sivaganga district had rock paintings, Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions,
Jain beds and also a rock cut temple of Kluntheerswarar and Bagampiriya
Ammai temple, dating back to the eighth century AD. He said all Jain abodes throughout India had been declared as
monuments. This particular one was unique as both Jain inscriptions and temples
were found in the same place.
There were also 30 Tamil inscriptions of 13th Century. Similar rock
paintings are not found anywhere in Tamil Nadu and only in another place
in Madhya Pradesh, he said. Though he had made representations to the government on various
occasions last year to protect the monument and declare it as an archaeological site, no action had been taken, he said.
The petitioner also alleged that anti-socials are vandalising and defacing the monument.
Assistant Advocate General Chellapandian submitted that Superintendent
of Police had been asked to provide protection for the temple. The Judges then ordered notice to officials of the archaeological
department of the state and centre. |
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