Shravanabelagola (Hassan District, Karnataka), June 17, 2017: The “Prabhavana Rathayatra” organised on the occasion of Gommateshwara Bhagawan Sri Sri Sri Bahubali Swami Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava – 2018 to popularise the message of Lord Bahubali and the event was flagged off at Shravanabelagola by Sri A Manju, district incharge minister and president of Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava’s state Government committee.
Speaking on the occasion His Holiness Swasti Sri Charukeerthi Bhattarakha Swamiji, the pontiff of Shravanabelagola Jain Math said that – “The Rathayatra is intended to propagate the message of Lord Bahubali i.e. ‘Happiness through Non Violence, Peace through Renunciation, Progress through Amity, Perfection through Meditation’. It is our earnest duty to organize rathayatra’s such as this for promoting religious awareness and protecting our culture. This Rathayatra will travel all over Karnataka and return back to Shravanabelagola in January 2018.” He further mentioned that – “Bhajans, Skits, discourses by scholars, book exhibtions and video related to previous versions of Mahamasthakabhisheka in all cities the Rathayatra travels”.
Speaking on the occasion Sri Manju opined that “Peace is the need of the hour for humanity and a rathaytra that is initiated from Shravanabelagola to propagate the message of Lord Bahubali is very commendable” and prayed for its success. He further mentioned that the Government of Karnatak a is committed for Mahamasthakabhisheka’s success and listed out the various developmental activities initiated by the Government in this connection.
Acharya 108 Sri Vardhamansagarji Maharaj and his Sangh, Acharya 108 Sri Vasupujyasagar Maharaj and his Sangh, Acharya 108 Sri Chandraprabhasagarji Maharaj and his Sangh, Muni 108 Sri Amithsagarji Maharaj and his Sangh and other Tyagis were present on the occasion.
Sri C.N.Balakrishna (member of legislative assembly from Channarayapatna), Sri M.A.Gopalswamy (member of leislative council), Zilla Panchayat member Smt Mamatha Ramesh, Taluk Panchayat member Smt Mahalakshmi Shivraj, Gram Panchayat member Smt Hema Prabhakar, working president of Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava Sri S Jitendra Kumar and others were present. – JHCNS, Photos by HPN@JHC