Shravanabelagola, February 6, 2006: It was a moment of deep rooted significance and dharmic charm on Monday afternoon when Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat performed the Rajyabhisheka to an idol of Adinatha placed atop a silver throne in ‘Gold’ kalasha and later fanned the Idol using ‘pearl’ laden Chamara in the company of Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi.
The ceremony commenced soon after Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar ended his blessings. With a song hailing Bahubali and Mahamastakabhisheka being played in the backdrop and the crowd gathered inside the giant pendal putting their hands together, Shravanabelagola Pontiff Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji directed the proceedings that followed. Two torch bearers took their position beside the Vice President while another armed with a colourfully decorated umbrella took position behind him.
The Vice President began his ceremonial walk and after taking the blessings of the Acharyas and the monks, walked back to the silver throne on which the idol of Adinatha was placed, where Indra Mahendra Jain and Indrani Saritha Jain stood side by side the decorated throne with the Gold kalasha in front. The Vice President, as per the directions of the Swamiji, performed the Rajyabhisheka as Jain hymns and slokas was chanted.
At the resplendent ceremony, it was then the turn for the Swamiji to hand over a ‘pearl’ laden fan or ‘chamara’, one each to the Vice President and Governor T N Chaturvedi who fanned the Idol as the devotional songs continued in the background. Later, it was the turn of the new Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and others.
The brief ceremony, when the rulers of today both at gubernatorial office at the Centre and the State, and the elected rulers of the State, paid their respects to the king-turned- saint Adinatha or Rushabhanath, the first Theerthankara and the father of Bahubali, was indeed a sight that will linger on through the years.
Later, speaking of the experience, the Vice President said: “For the last thousands of years innumerous saints have been coming here for meditation and spreading the principles and philosophy of Jainism. It is said that the powerful emperor Chandragupta Mourya who rule a large part of India was so inspired by Bahubali that he handed over his kingdom to his son and settled in this region to meditate and follow the path of non-violence and righteousness. It is an unforgettable and divine experience for me to participate in the first Rajyabhisheka
ceremony of this millennium.” – Jain Heritage Centres News Service (JHCNS)