Once in twelve years, the head-anointing of the 17-metre Gommateshwara statue on Vindhyagiri hill; the last was 17–25 February 2018, the next is expected in 2030.
Mahamastakabhisheka at Shravanabelagola: the twelve-yearly anointing of Bahubali
Milk, saffron and turmeric running down a granite giant from head to foot
The Mahamastakabhisheka, “the great anointing of the head”, is the Jain ceremony in which the 57-foot (17-metre) granite statue of Bahubali, or Gommateshwara, on Vindhyagiri hill at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka is bathed from a scaffold with water, milk, saffron, turmeric and sandalwood, so that the offerings run down it from head to foot. It happens once in twelve years. The last was on 17–25 February 2018, the 88th by the traditional count; the next is due in 2030, and its dates have not been announced.
The Shravanabelagola Jain Math and the Karnataka government fix the dates; none has been announced for 2030 yet.
The legend
👑
In Jain tradition, Rishabha, the first tirthankara, divides his kingdom among his sons: Bahubali gets the south, his elder brother Bharata Ayodhya.
🤼
Bharata demands submission. To spare their armies, the brothers compete alone: a staring match, a water fight, wrestling. Bahubali wins all three.
He lifts his brother off the ground, sets him down gently and sees no kingdom is worth a quarrel. He renounces it and meditates as vines wind round him.
When Bharata bows before him in humility, the last shadow of regret lifts, and Bahubali attains omniscience.
🗿
That is how he was carved on Vindhyagiri hill: unclad, with vines on his arms and legs. Once in twelve years the statue is bathed from head to foot.
Meaning
Digambaras
Bahubali stands unclad like the Digambara monks, the "sky-clad": here nakedness is the sign of complete detachment.
Chavundaraya
The statue was raised around 981 by Chavundaraya, general and minister of the Ganga dynasty. The inscription at its base says he made it for his mother.
Chandragiri
On the hill opposite, tradition says, the emperor Chandragupta Maurya ended his days as a Jain monk: monks lived here long before the statue.
Customs
🏗️ The scaffold
A scaffold is built round the 17-metre statue up to its head, and the offerings are poured onto the crown so they run down to its feet.
🏺 1,008 kalashas
Consecrated water is carried in 1,008 special kalasha vessels and sprinkled over everyone who has come.
🌈 Colours
Each day brings its own offering: water, coconut water, sugarcane juice, milk, saffron, sandalwood, turmeric, vermilion. The statue changes colour before your eyes.
Flower shower
On the last day a shower of petals falls on the statue from a helicopter.
Words of the festival
ಮಹಾಮಸ್ತಕಾಭಿಷೇಕ
Mahamastakabhisheka
"the great anointing of the head": mastaka is head, abhisheka a sacred bath
ಬಾಹುಬಲಿ
Bahubali
"the strong-armed": the first tirthankara's son, among the first to win liberation
ಗೊಮ್ಮಟೇಶ್ವರ
Gommateshwara
the statue's name: in Kannada gommata means "handsome one"
ಶ್ರವಣಬೆಳಗೊಳ
Shravanabelagola
"the white pond of the monks", after the pond in the town centre
How to greet
ಜೈ ಜಿನೇಂದ್ರ
Jai Jinendra!
"Victory to the Lord of the Jinas": the Jain greeting. An early form, "Jaya Jina", was carved at Aihole in Karnataka back in 634.
True or myth
Legend says only a poor old woman managed the statue's first bath.
✅ True. Milk from Chavundaraya's hundreds of pots would not flow below the navel, but the old woman's half-shell of gullikayi fruit bathed it all over.
The Mahamastakabhisheka is held only at Shravanabelagola.
❌ Myth. Other Bahubali statues in Karnataka, at Karkala, Venur and Dharmasthala, have their own twelve-yearly anointings too.
The 2018 anointing was already the 88th.
✅ True. The count runs from 981, and the next anointing is due in 2030.
Where to celebrate
Mysore
Mysuru is the comfortable base for the Mahamastakabhisheka: about 85 km and two hours by road, so an early start puts you on Vindhyagiri before the granite heats up. The next edition is due in 2030.
Bengaluru
From Bengaluru the Mahamastakabhisheka is a long day out: about 150 km and three hours by road, or a Bengaluru–Hassan line train that stops at Shravanabelagola. The next one is due in 2030.
What the anointing looks like
For most of the twelve years Bahubali stands alone on the summit, a tenth-century figure carved from the hill’s own granite: unclad, eyes lowered, vines climbing his legs and arms. For the Mahamastakabhisheka a scaffold is built around him up to the head; in 2018 it held more than 6,500 people at a time. From the top, priests and devotees pour offerings onto the crown, and the statue changes colour before your eyes as each one runs down: water, coconut water, sugarcane juice and milk turn it pale and glistening, then saffron, sandalwood, turmeric and vermilion stain it gold, ochre and red. Consecrated water is carried in 1,008 kalashas (ritual pots) and sprinkled over everyone who has come, and on the last day petals fall on the statue from a helicopter.
It is probably the largest Jain gathering in the world: in 2018 the organisers expected 3.5 to 4 million people, and the state built twelve temporary townships for them. Even so, the hill keeps a calm of its own. Chants, bells and the hush of a crowd standing barefoot on warm stone carry further than any loudspeaker.
Who Bahubali is
In Jain tradition Rishabha, the first tirthankara, divides his kingdom among his sons: Bahubali, “the strong-armed”, receives the south, and his elder brother Bharata, Ayodhya. Bharata demands submission. To spare their armies the brothers fight alone, in a staring match, a water fight and a wrestling bout, and Bahubali wins all three. At the moment of victory he lifts his brother off the ground, sets him down gently and sees that no kingdom is worth a quarrel. He renounces everything and meditates standing, so long that vines wind round his limbs, and when Bharata bows before him the last shadow of regret lifts and Bahubali attains omniscience. He stands unclad like the Digambara (“sky-clad”) monks, for whom nakedness is the sign of complete detachment.
The statue was raised around 981 by Chavundaraya, general and minister of the Ganga dynasty; the inscription at its base says he made it for his mother. A legend tells that milk from his hundreds of pots would not flow below the navel, until a poor old woman’s half-shell of gullikayi fruit bathed it all over.
Where to stay and how to get there
Shravanabelagola is a small town; most people come from a bigger base.
Shravanabelagola
Jain dharamshalas (pilgrim rest houses) and little else. In a festival year book a year out and arrive days ahead. The nearest hotels are in Channarayapatna, about 12 km, and Hassan, about 50 km. The town has its own station on the Bengaluru–Hassan line.
Mysuru
The comfortable base: about 85 km and two hours by road through Srirangapatna and K.R. Pete, by car or KSRTC bus. Sleep there the night before and leave before dawn to climb before the heat.
Bengaluru
A long day out: about 150 km and three hours by road (leave the NH75 at Channarayapatna), or a train from KSR Bengaluru or Yesvantpur to Shravanabelagola. In 2018 South Western Railway added twelve extra services from Bengaluru and Hassan; book when sales open, 60 days ahead.
✅ The climb and the etiquette
About 600 rock-cut steps lead to the statue. They are not hard, but they come with rules.
Barefoot, no leather — The climb is barefoot, and leather (belts, bags, wallets) is not allowed on the hill.
Go early — The granite heats up from mid-morning and becomes hard to walk on. Start at first light and carry water.
Doli carriers — For those who cannot climb, doli (palanquin) carriers wait at the foot. Agree the fare first and pay it without haggling.
Respect the nakedness — Digambara monks may be present, unclothed as Bahubali is. It is a vow of renunciation; do not photograph them without asking.
Passes — Access to the scaffold and timed slots on the hill are issued by the organisers in the festival year only. Watch for announcements from the Shravanabelagola Jain Math and the Karnataka government. Without a pass, Chandragiri, the hill opposite, looks straight across at the statue.
Looking for a Mahamastakabhisheka in 2027?
Shravanabelagola’s is not until 2030, but other Bahubali statues in Karnataka, at Karkala, Venur and Dharmasthala, have twelve-yearly anointings of their own. The organising committee of the 42-foot Bahubali at Karkala (Udupi district, installed in 1432) has said its Mahamastakabhisheka will be held in February 2027; exact dates were still to be announced.
❓ FAQ
When is the next Mahamastakabhisheka at Shravanabelagola?
It is due in 2030, twelve years after 2018. The Shravanabelagola Jain Math and the Karnataka government fix the dates, and none had been announced as of October 2026.
When was the last Mahamastakabhisheka?
On 17–25 February 2018. By the count that runs from 981, it was the 88th.
Who is Bahubali?
In Jain tradition, the son of Rishabha, the first tirthankara, who won a duel for the kingdom, renounced it and attained liberation. He belongs to Jain tradition rather than recorded history; the statue’s builder, Chavundaraya, is the documented historical figure.
Where is the Bahubali statue in Karnataka?
The best known is on Vindhyagiri hill at Shravanabelagola, in Hassan district, about 85 km from Mysuru and 150 km from Bengaluru. Others stand at Karkala, Venur and Dharmasthala.
Is there a Bahubali statue in Udupi district?
Yes, at Karkala: a 42-foot statue installed in 1432. Its next Mahamastakabhisheka is planned for February 2027.
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Where to stay and how to get there
Looking for a Mahamastakabhisheka in 2027?