Mahamasthakabhishekha.com

Shravanabelagola, Feb 17: History was created at the temple township of Shravanabelagola on Friday when the original Prakrit manuscripts of the Dhavala scriptures, containing the root teachings and commentary pf Agamas, the Jain holy sayings, reached Shravanabelagola from Moodabidri for the first ever time, where it was kept preserved for 800 long years.
And when three Kannada volumes of these sacred Jain texts were released to the world in the presence of the original manuscripts on the occasion of the Mahamastakabhisheka it was a moment to cherish - for world peace rooted in the principle of non-violence, for Kannada language and life, and for Jains of South India, who had been made to feel inferior all these years after their North Indian counterparts had managed to work on a Hindi version of the same scared text decades earlier.
Shravanabelagola pontiff Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji, who nine year old penance is paying off in stages, was an elated man on Friday and yet humble and disarming charming in his humbleness. A true devotee of Goddess Saraswathi, the more than 800 year old leafs containing the Dhavala granthas penned using a special ink in Prakrit, was taken to the Panchakalyana Mantapa in a grand procession.
Moodabidri pontiff rode an elephant carrying the original manuscripts of the basic Dhavala text with him while the rest, all preserved in long wooden boxes, were carried in the giant silver chariot.

Shravanabelagola pontiff and the 246 monks and nuns, including 14 acharyas who are gracing the Mahamastakabhisheka, went on foot.
Once at the Panchakalyana Mantap, the elephant carrying the Moodabidri pontiff and the basic Dhavala text was brought right up to the dais and while the remaining manuscripts were brought to the dais in a silver palanquin. Amidst chanting of Jain hymns and devotional songs to Goddess Saraswathi, Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar along with the Shravanabelagola pontiff and others placed the manuscripts in front of the Samo-Sarana deity and Jinavaani.
When the Kannada volumes of Dhavala was released after the mahapooja to Goddess Saraswathi with music and dance by the young dancers of Bharatheeya Nrutya Shala, Hassan, to a repertory choreographed by the Shravanabelagola pontiff himself, it was a moment to cherish. "Our Hindi brothers were having a chip on their shoulders all these years and now you in Karnataka and South India can feel equally proud," Shravanabelagola pontiff was emotional.
Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar released the 7th volume of Dhavala in Kannada and revolutionary muni Tarun Sagar released the first volume of Jaya Dhavala. When Shravanabelagola pontiff requested Moodabidri pontiff to release the first volume of Mahadhavala, the respect and love Moodabidri pontiff has for his guru Swasthishri Karmayogi Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji of Shravanabelagola was evident for one and all. The Moodabidri Swamiji fell at the feet of Shravanabelagola Bhattaraka and released the volume only after the Shravanabelagola Bhattaraka had sanctified it further by touching it.
Later addressing the devotees, Moodabidri Bhattaraka made it clear that if anybody held anything against his guru, Shravanabelagola pontiff, he would give up his position as the Bhattaraka of Moodabidri. Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar and Munishree Tarun Sagar in their discourse stressed the importance of true knowledge and said only wealth acquired through true knowledge based on Jain way of life would last. The magical evening ended with devotional songs and hymns invoking Goddess Saraswathi.

Shravanabelagola, Feb 18: If any one person can be identified as the biggest draw of the millennium's first Mahamastakabhisheka, it is Revolutionary Jain Sant Munishree Tarun Sagar.
This revolutionary harbinger of peace and non-violence is all set to take the centre stage on Sunday, the last day of the celebrations, when all the Acharyas will address the devotees for the first time from atop the Vindhaygiri Hills when the Mahamastakabhisheka is in the progress.
A monk who always drew huge crowds everytime he addressed the devotees in his inimitable breathless style, Tarun Sagar is the only monk to give separate pravachans from a venue right next to the Panchakalyana Mantap on evenings and these have been a huge attraction. And it was no different on Saturday.
Earlier, at the Acharya Vandana, devotees offered their respects to all the 14 Acharayas present including Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji by washing their feet. Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade and his Hemavathy washed the feet of Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar Munimaharaj.
Later speaking on the occasion Veerendra Heggade invited all the Acharyas to the Dharmashtala Mahamastakabhisheka in 2007 and requested Acharya Vardhaman Sagar Munimaharaj to give leadership to the celebrations.

CURTAINS RING DOWN ON MAHAMASTHAKABHISHEKA, MUNISHREE TARUNSAGAR TAKE CENTRE STAGE

Shravanabelagola, Feb 19: As the curtains came down on the new Millennium's first Mahamastakabhisheka on Sunday, the temple township witnessed the biggest ever turnout of devotees and tourists from different parts of the country and the world to witness the celebrations.
Roads were jam packed and the Mutt authorities in a bid to satisfy the waiting thousands, reverted to the new practice of allowing even those without passes to have a glimpse of the celebrations without allowing them up the jam packed platforms. The final day's proceedings were supervised by MMC06 President Naresh Kumar Sethi. Huge queues in front of the Vindhyagiri Hills continued till late in the evening and into the night even after the Mahamastakabhisheka celebrations, which commenced on January 22, ended at around three p.m.
Revolutionary Jain Monk Tarun Sagar assumed the centre stage of the celebrations on Sunday. Going up the scaffolding immediately after the Pushpa Abhisheka, the fiery advocate of peace and non-violence addressed the devotees from right above Bhagawan Bahubali's head as 6, 000 odd jam packed devotees on the platform greeted the hugely popular monk with a loud roar.
Addressing the devotees, Munishree Tarun Sagar pointed out that peace and the Jain ideals can reign only if it reigns in the house and urged all to take a vow that every mother in law would be loving and kind to daughters-in-law and vice versa, and that every son or daughter will take care of the aged, ailing and the old. As the devotees moved by the occasion and the spectacle of the celebrations, roared in approval, the Monk said peace in the house was essential for peace to reign in the world.
Munishree Tarun Sagar said Bahubali and his ideals were not limited just to Jains, and added that the giant monolith and the messages of peace and non violence he symbolizes, belongs to one and all, across faiths and religions. "The new millennium's first Mahamasthakabhisheka has been a grand success and if peace reigned in the world during this period, it was because of the homage that was paid to the supreme votary of peace and non-violence- Bhagawan Bahubali," he declared and rushing down from the scaffolding, went to devotees in different platforms blessing them all.
Among the VIP visitors at the celebrations on Sunday were Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Mr.K H Muniyappa and Gujarat Governor Naval Kishore Sharma.
Speaking to mediapersons, Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji said an estimated 25 lakh people attended the celeberations, which ended on Sunday evening. While everything went according to the plan, the political changes during the course of the celeberations has delayed the formal inauguration of as many as 15 different projects which have been completed. Stating that these projects will be inaugurated over the next few weeks and months, the Swamiji thanked both te Union and State Governments for their support.
Later, at the concluding ceremony held to felicitte the officials and people's representatives involved in the conduct of the celeberations, ex-Minister H D Revanna said the partnership between the Government and the Mutt had worked well. "The minor hic ups which came out during the conduct of the celeberations were corrected along the way," he added and thanked Shravanabelagola MLA C S Putte Gowda for his role in the celeberations.

Shravanabelagola, Feb 19: Lakhs paid homage to Prathama Ganani Arika Ratna 105 Vijayamathi Mataji, the senior most Jain nun of the country, who passed away at the Shantisagar Memorial Hall here on Sunday morning. She was 78.
The Mataji has her own group of followers and has guided other nuns for nearly 50 years after she took deeksha when she was just 28 years old from Acharya Vimal Sagar Muni Maharaj. In the mega deeksha held on the occasion of the Mahamasthakabhisheka celeberations here last week, the Mataji had initiated five women as nuns.
A venerated and highly respected Nun, the Mataji was a scholar and known for her style of devotional meetings in different parts of the country. The Mataji had reached Shravanabelagola for the Mahamasthakabhisheka celeberations on January 29 after traveling nearly 1,200 kms on foot from Pondicherry. Impressed by her dedication and leadership qualities, she was accorded the title 'Prathama Ganani' by Acharya Mahaveer Keerthi.
The Mataji hails from Kamanagar village of Bharatpur district, Rajasthan. The last rites were performed in the presence of the 250 strong gathering of munis and nuns in the town under the stewardship of Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji of Shravanabelagola. The Bhattaraka Swamji of Moodabidri and Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade have condoled the death of the Mataji.

IFWJ President K Vikram Rao and Secretary General Parmanand Pande felicitating HH Jagadguru Karmayogi Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji on the occasion of the 62nd National Convention of IFWJ at Panchakalyana Mantap in Shravanabelagola on Wednesday. KUWJ Hassan District President Shivananda Tagadur, Housing Minister D T Jayakumar, Shravanabelagola MLA C S Putte Gowda and Karnataka Information Commissioner KVR Tagore look on.

Shravanabelagola, Feb 22: Mass Media today is at cross roads in the country and so are journalists. Caught in the spiraling web of electronic and online journalism, working in the media has become more glamorous and thereby a lot more shallow, owing to increasing competition and race for breaking news, HH Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji, Pontiff of Digambar Jain Mutt and Head of Shravanabelagola Institutions lamented here on Wednesday.
Addressing the delegates at the 62nd National Convention of Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ) the Swamiji said conventional journalism, where the printed the word was truth personified, has suffered a dent. With the TV channels and print media jostling each other for space and advertisement revenue, job security for professional journalists has decreased. Contract system has come into existence and so has the hire and fire syndrome. On the flip side, lack of proper training and acclimatization, has resulted in erosion of values and professional ethics, he added.
Expressing confidence that the convention will address all these issues, the Swamiji said world has become a lot smaller owing to the communication revolution brought in by the strides achieved by science. "I am sure that all your demands will be met with the blessings of Bhagawan Bahubali and it is my desire that IFWJ convention should become a regular part of Mahamasthakabhisheka and hence, I hope to see you all here again in 2018," he said.
The Swamiji said non-violence and renunciation, enshrined in the life of Bhagawan Bahubali, is the only way to attaining lasting peace and happiness for the mankind. Humanity can ignore these lofty values only to its peril. The interest and attention the first Mahamasthakabhisheka of the new millennium drew from journalists and media from all over the world is an ample testimony to the renewed global interest in these hallowed ideals, he added.
More than 350 international journalists from 21 different nations covered the celebrations from January 22 to February 19, 2006. In all 2,500 journalists, representing more than 50 languages, descended on Shravanabelagola during the Mahamasthakabhisheka celebrations, covered live by Five TV channels. What drew the media attention toward the celebrations was not the mere spectacle of Mahamasthakabhisheka, but the message of non-violence and universal brotherhood it enshrined, he added.
"I will use the pristine water of River Ganga from Gangotri presented by journalists from Uttaranchal today for the special Mahamasthakabhisheka for journalists scheduled for Feb 23," he declared.
IFWJ President K Vikram Rao voiced his deep concern at the incompetence of the Dr.Manmohan Singh government in not setting up a new wage board for journalists even though the price index and inflation figures have changed dramatically over the decade. "We demand a living wage for journalists," he declared.
Turning his attention to the Press Council of India, Rao said the Council was dead, and consequently the media has become a victim of yellow journalism and blackmailing. "We have to evolve a code of conduct for ourselves and a National Media Council, comprising even the representatives of the electronic media should be established, replaced the dead Press Council of India. This is the only way we can put an end to irresponsibility of the electronic media," he said.
On the price war launched by the monopoly English newspapers, selling newspapers at throw away prices, Rao said this unholy war between giant English language newspapers was killing language publications and adversely affecting small and medium newspapers. "If it continues this way, Indian democracy will be killed and the board of directors of monopoly press and not the electorate will decide who will be the PMs and CMs of this country. We demand the Union Government to fix a page-price ratio in order to stem such unfair trade practices," he urged.
Karnataka Housing Minister D T Jayakumar, inaugurated the convention standing in for Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. In a speech read out by Jayakumar, Kumaraswamy said his Government was duty bound to protect the freedom of speech and expression and hence, the interests of the media and media persons. However, he expressed concern at irresponsibility reporting in some segments of the electronic media and stressed the need for all segments of the media to report fair. A good relationship between all the four wings, executive, legislature, judiciary and the press was necessary for protection of democratic polity, he added.
IFWJ Secretary General Parmanand Pande stressed the need for bringing the electronic media under the ambit of Working Journalists' Act and the re-visiting the Act itself as, its current form, it has become irrelevant, Karnataka Information Commissioner KVR Tagore said negatives have started creeping into the institution of Journalism with some scribes and media-houses forgetting that it was their duty to keep the democracy flag of the country flying high. Urging publications to be sensitive to the feelings of the common man, he said ghastly jarring images and obscene pictures must be avoided.
Pointing out that poverty anywhere endangers prosperity everywhere; he said it was up to the media to ensure that it makes a fair presentation of the facts with a positive take on events. Further, in the rapid commercialization of the media, it was also important to fight right balance between information and entertainment. Media should also revisit its morality and ethics; he said and added these measures were necessary if democracy was to remain intact.
KUWJ President V Venkatesh urged the State Government to provide bus passes to all journalists, increase the pension for retd.Journalists, and provide sites or plots to genuine journalists in different parts of the State.
Karnataka Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) Hassan unit president Shivananda Tagadur, IFWJ Vice President Arjun Dev, MMC06 Working President A.R. Nirmal Kumar, Sakleshpur MLA H M Vishwanath and Shravanabelagola MLA C S PutteGowda also spoke. Sri Lankan Journalists Association President Karyakaran lead a 42-member Sri Lankan delegation at the Convention.

Shravanabelagola, Feb 23: Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi on Thursday endorsed the call of Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ) for establishment of a National Media Commission and a new wage board for working journalists.
Delivering the valedictory address at the 62nd National Convention of Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ), the Governor said the price index and the cost of living has increased dramatically over the last 10 years and if the Union Government could revise the salaries of those in the Government sector, it was imperative that necessary measures were initiated to increase the salaries of journalists and those others in the media. If journalism was to gain momentum in the changed times, it was imperative that their dignity was addressed.
This is a matter of social concern as the dignity of a common man will be preserved only if the dignity of those in the media, who are watchdogs of democracy, itself is preserved.
Pointing out that managements of some media houses were making huge profits, he said it was only fair that the fruits of these labour was shared with the media-persons themselves. The Governor also suggested establishment of a social security fund with the participation of Government, the industry and the private sector to safeguard the interests of many journalists, including the many who are suffering owing to their brand of true journalism not fitting the 'needs' of the current times.
The Governor endorsing the call for a National Media Commission said there was a vast chasm between the visual and the print media today and a media commission is the only body that can bring in the necessary correctives required in the visual media. "Press represents the principles of life and this has to permeate the visual media. If media goes astray, children and generation go astray. The society should not remain mute spectator to the degeneration of the media, either," he said and added that National Media Commission was also required to protect the interests of many scribes who have been victimized for their investigative journalism.
Karnataka Madhyama Academy President V N Subba Rao, also endorsed the IFWJ demands, said the print media was in danger of diluting its efficacy if the electronic media did not mature. The visual media's reaction to situation was knee jerk as it has no time to pause and think, running 24x7 news channels amidst competition as they are. They have lost a sense of balance and there is a need for introspection as the media at large itself was facing the danger of losing its credibility and accountability. News is being trivialized, he added.
Senior Journalist S V Jayasheela Rao reiterated the urgent need for establishment of the commission to review the functioning of the national media and suggestion of suitable correctives. Small and medium newspapers have stopped growing owing to unfair trade practices of some publishing houses, he added.
HH Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji urged all to remain united and pursue the course of dharma in pursuit of all their professional needs and goals.
IFWJ President K Vikram Rao, IFWJ Secretary General Paramamanda Pande, KUWJ President V Venkatesh, KUWJ Hassan President Shivananada Tagadur, MLAs H K Kumaraswamy, A T Ramaswamy, S M Anand, MMC06 Reception President A R Nirmal Kumar Sethi, MMC06 Working President A R Nirmal Kumar, MMC06 Publicity Sub Committee Convener Jithendra Kumar, Hassan Jilla Panchayat President Annappa Shetty, Hassan Jilla Panchayat CEO F R Jamadar and Hassan SP Panduranga H Rane were also present.

Shravanabelagola, March 6: In a significant yet glittering dharmic event in the Jain calender, monks and nuns converged on the Matada Basadi here on monday afternoon to perform the Moksha Kalyana Pooja of Chandraprabha Teerthankara, the eighth of the 24 Jain Teerthankaras.
The pooja, conducted to mark the day when Chandraprabha Teerthankara attained Nirvana or salvation, Phalguna Shudda Sapthami according to the Hindu calender, featured panchamrutha abhisheka being offered to
the marble idol of the Teerthankara in the Basadi, a Jain temple, apart from Nava Kalasha Abhisheka, Nahaashtadhravya Pooja, Shanti Mantra and Nirvankand.
The Panchamrutha Abhisheka on the glittering white marble idol seated in the Padmasana sytle using sandalwood, turmuric, vermillion and other solutions was a feast to the aching eyes of the devotees thronged inside and out the Basadi. The Teerthankara's idol came out in array of colours, in a sight both divine and godly, during the panchamrutha abhisheka.
HH Jadaguru Karmayogi Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji conducted the pooja in the presence of Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar Muni Maharaj, Acharya 108 Gunanandhi Muni Maharaj and Acharya 108 Devsen Muni Maharaj, among others.

ASHTANIKA POOJA FOR WORLD PEACE COMMENCES

Shravanabelagola, Mar 7: An eight day Ashtanika pooja for world peace in connection with the 2006 Mahamasthakabhisheka celebrations began at the Digambar Jain Mutt's Bandara Basadi.

It maybe recalled here that the Mahamasthakabhisheka celebrations had commenced with a similar Ashtanika pooja that lasts eight days. The pooja, which began today morning marks the beginning of the closure of dharmic rites in connection with the Mahamasthakabhisheka celeberations.

The Ashtanika pooja began Wednesday morning with the Siddha chakra aradhana, and Ashtavidharchana and Vinyanjali later in the evening, to the Sahasra Koota Jina Bimbha, encompassing all the 24 Teerthankaras. As a part of the pooja abhisheka for the the deity today was conducted using eight pooja items namely water, sandalwood, akshata, flowers, charu, deepa, dhoopa and fruits. During the course of the pooja which will last another seven days, the deity will be worshipped with items increasing daily by the multiples of eight.

By the end of the eighth day, marking closure of the dharmic rites in connection with the celebrations, the deity would have received as many as 2,400 abhishekas with different materials.

The day also marked the celebrations of the 37th anniversary of Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar Muni Maharaj's deeksha. This venerated Jain monk had taken deeksha as a young nineteen year old from late Acharya 108 Dharma Sagar Muni maharaj.

Jain monks and nuns, including Acharya 108 Gurunandi Muni Maharaj and Acharya 108 Devsen Muni Maharaj, observed the occasion by performing padapooja of Acharya Vardhamana Sagar at Varni Bhavan inside the Mutt premises. Digambar Jain Mutt's HH Jagadguru Karmayogi Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji graced the occasion and presented the Acharya, under whose leadership the Mahamasthakabhisheka of 2006 was conducted, with five silver kalashas and a silver statue of Bhagawan Bahubali.

Shravanabelagola, March 8: After the Mahamasthakabhisheka under the aegis of Shravanabelagola Digambar Jain Mutt and later by other mutts such as Kolhapur Mutt since February 8, it is now the turn of various Jain samajs from different parts of the State and the country to show their adulation and pay their homage to the giant 57 ft tall monolith Bhagawan Bahubali.

As many as 4,000 residents of Hassan, both Jains as well as non-Jains under the aegis of the MMC Hassan Jain Samaj will flag off this series of Mahamasthakabhisheka, expected to last until the end of May this year, on March 19, 2006. According to Samaj President M Ajitkumar, 1008 Kalashas, comprising 250 Suvarna Kalashas and 658 Rajat Kalashas, would be used for the abhisheka. The panchamrutha kalashas would be allotted to those interested through 'boli' to be held at Hassan's Veeravani Mandhira, Doddabasadi, on March 12 at 3 pm. The celebrations will be held under the guidance of HH Jagadguru Karmayogi Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji of Shravanabelagola.

For more details contact: Purohit Ananthraj (9448022982), Bahubali Prasad (9448155995), M Ajitkumar (9844076276), Padma Prasad (9343422151), Prakash (9449124365) or Naveen Raj (9448068892).

Shravanabelagola, Mar 9: With two Digambar Jain Brahmacharis all set to be initiated (deeksha) as kshullak and kshullika respectively on Friday, the atmosphere at the Sri Mutt is surcharged with dharmic fervour.

Venerated Jain monk Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar Munimaharaj, and other Acharyas and Aryikas, today imparted the Prathyakyana Vidhi to Brahmachari Mahendra Shah and Brahmacharini Roopavathi Chougle, the duo who are due to be initiated on Friday as Kshullak and Kshullika respectively. HH Jagadguru Karmayogi Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji graced the ceremony.

The Prathyakyana Vidhi involved the Acharya and the other monks and nuns guiding the duo to ways in which they would partake food once they are initiated; and committed them to a whole day's fast till the initiation process ended, complete with Kleshalonchana, the ceremonial plucking of hair on the head and face. The duo were committed to abstaining from anna (rice), pana (liquids), lehya (pastes) and khadya (substances that need to be broken and chewed). Later, the duo performed pooja to the idol of Ganadhara Parameshti.

27-year old Brahmachari Mahendra Shah, a M.A (Hindi) post graduate, hails from Bholi, Sawai Madhavpur near the Jain holy shrine Mahaveerji kshtra in Rajasthan. Acharya Vardhamana Sagar initiated Shah as a Brahmachari 1 years ago.

71-year old Brahmacharini Roopavathi Chougle hails from Bhose Village in Sangli, Maharasthra and has been a Brahmacharini for eleven years now. She has visited the Jain holy place of Shikarji in Jharkhand five times and had arrived at Shravanabelagola for the Mahamasthakabhisheka from Belgaum by walk with Acharya Vardhaman Sagar's team. Wife of late Devappa Annappa Chougle, Brahmacharini Roopavathi Chougle's mother was also a nun, late Aarika Sri Parswamathi Mataji. Munishri Approvasagar had initiated Roopavathi Chougle as a Brahmacharini.