Dharmasthala : Jain’s from Tamil Nadu performed anointment rituals for 39-foot monolith of Lord Bahubali at Ratnagiri in Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala on Sunday.

Rituals were conducted under the guidance of Dhavalakeerthi Bhattaraka swamiji of Arihanthagiri, in the presence of D Veerendra Heggade, dharmadhikari of the Sri Kshetra and his family.

“Mahamastakabhisheka rituals are a pious task and performing and seeing one performed is ennobling,” senior Jain ascetic Sri Aadithya Sagar Muni Maharaj said delivering benediction on the occasion. Watching the liquids poured on the head of Lord Bahubali trickle down to the feet is akin to watching one’s internal trials and tribulations get washed away, he said, urging the devotees to tread the path of self-purification with their acts and deeds.

There are several statues of Lord Bahubali in India and each one is distinct and different from the other. “Any creation matches our vision. If one has devotion in the almighty, one can see Lord Bahubali (in these statues) or it is a mere monolith,” he said. Lord Bahubali gives the message of tolerance and patience to ascetics and imbibes the culture of service among the shravakas and shravikas and reinforces belief in the tenets of the Lord, he said.

Pointing there is general criticism that getting a statue of Lord Bahubali done and performing mahamastakabhisheka to it is a waste of time and money, the seer said the anointment rituals leave lasting impression on one’s mind. “The mind becomes pure and there are good tidings on its account,” he said, adding the single biggest change is the change it brings about in an individual for the good. One should not pay heed to such criticism, he noted.

In getting the monolith installed at Ratnagiri and successfully conducting four anointment rituals to it, the Dharmadhikari has made an invaluable contribution to world peace, welfare and social amity, he said. Sri Dhavalakeerthi Bhattaraka swamiji lauding the multi-faceted service of Heggade to society said Heggade has given assistance for renovation of 500 basadis in Tamil Nadu and work on 95% of these basadis is nearing completion.

Ujjantha Sagar Muni Maharaj handed over a copper inscription of ‘Tatvartha Sutra’ believed to be at least 1000 years old to Heggade on this occasion. The anointment rituals using 1008 kalash was performed using water, milk, coconut water, sugarcane juice, turmeric, saffron, sandalwood past, ashtagandha and other ‘mangala dravyas’. On March 16, women devotees from Bengaluru Womens’ Federation will perform the anointment rituals.