Sravana Belagola.

The hill of Sravanabelagola, 120 kilometers west of Bangalore in the state of Karnataka, is a noted place of pilgrimage for the Jains. The large hill, also called Vindhyagiri or Per-kalbappu, is 3347 feet above sea level. A flight of 614 steps, finely chiseled into the granite of the mountain, leads to the summit, where stands an open court and the great statue of Sri Gomatheswar. Sravanabelagola means 'the monk on the top of the hill' and hermits, mystics and ascetics have resided here since at least the 3rd century BC.

Gomateswara

In those early times the hill was thickly wooded and hermits could feed themselves from the vegitation of the forest. Near the middle of the 10th century AD, temples began to be constructed upon the hill and from that time the place has become one of the most important pilgrimage sites of the Jain religion. The 58 foot, 8 inch statue of Sri Gomatheswar, carved between 978-993 AD, out of the granite bedrock of the mountain is the tallest free-standing statue in the world. Sri Gomatheswar, also known as Bahubali, was the son of the legendary first Tirthankara, Adinatha (tirthankaras are the mythical, enlightened sages of Jainism).

The chief festival of Sravanabelagola is called Maha Masthaka Abhisheka, or the 'Head Anointing Ceremony'. Prior to the festival an enormous wooden scaffolding is built around the statue of Sri Gomatheswar and more than one million pilgrims assemble around and upon the slopes of the sacred hill. During the climax of the festival, priests and devotees standing atop the scaffolding chant holy mantras and ritually pour thousands of gallons of milk, honey and precious herbs over the head of the statue.

While flowing downwards over the body of the statue these sacred offerings are believed to acquire a powerful charge of spiritual energy from the great deity. Collected at the feet of the statue and distributed to the throngs of waiting pilgrims, the magical libations are considered to assist individuals in their quest for enlightenment. The festival is performed only once every twelve to fourteen years during periods of rare astrological significance. Recent festivals occurred in February 1981 and December 1993. The next ceremony is in February of 2006.

Bahubali Gommateshwara was the second son of Rishabhanatha, the first Jain Tirthankara and his queen Sunanda. He had a step-brother named Bharata. After the renunciation of Rishabha, the two sons, Bharata and Bahubali, get two different regions of the Rishabha’s kingdom to rule over. Bharata soon began to subdue the various principalities around him, and even wanted his brother Bahubali and ninety eight others to submit to him. All except Bahubali gave up their kingdoms and became monks. Bahubali alone refused to surrender.
So Bharata challenged Bahubali on the battlefield and engaged him in duel. As Bahubali was about to overpower Bharata, he suddenly realized the absurdity of pride in physical victory and gave up the fight and became a monk and began to perform various penances as a Jain Sramana. He steadfastly observed penance in a Kayotsakga pose braving the rigors of sun, rain and storm. The beasts of the Jingle attacked him. Ants built their little mounds at his feet. Serpents crawled up his legs. Creepers sprang up and entangled his body. But undeterred he remained firm in his resolve to attain liberation.Yet, unable to attain Kevala-Jnana, as he still harboured pride, he stood erect conscious of his suffering.

His father, Rishabhanatha the Tirthamkara asked his daughters Brahmi and Sundari to go and persuade him to give up his pride. Bahubali did so and achieved enlightenment.Bharata erected a stature of his brother at Podanpura. In the course of time, this region was overgrown with forest and the image became invisible to all but the initiated. According to Jain tradition, it was Bahubali who attained salvation first during the Avasarpini, Descending half-cycle of time-era, and so being the first man to attain liberation he became an object of universal worship.