The event of a lifetime unfolds
Mahamastakabhisheka, one of India 's most important religious events, and one that occurs only once in every 12 years, will take place soon! The grand event, the head anointing ceremony of Lord Bahubali who stands serenely atop a hill in Shravanabelagola in Hassan District in Karnataka State, South India, is scheduled between the 8th and 19th of February 2006.

An ancient town overlooked by two rocky hills, Chandragiri and Indragiri, Shravanabelagola draws over 30 lakh devotees from across the world who throng the place to seek solace at the feet of the colossal monolith of Lord Gomateshwara, a perfect testimony to compassion, serenity, sacrifice and grace.

The devotees include believers not just from the Jain community, but from across - cutting through barriers of caste, creed, and religion.

During the 10 hour ceremony, priests climb the 618 steps leading to the 57 foot monolith, the largest in the world, and empty hundreds of pots of tender coconut, sugarcane juice, milk, rice flour, turmeric paste, kashaya (a herbal concoction), shrigandha (sandal paste), chandana (coloured sandal paste), ashtagandha (eight varieties of sandal paste), saffron, gold and silver flowers, and precious stones.

A spectacular finale to this splendid ceremony is a shower of flowers from a helicopter.