Mahamasthakabhisheka is the head anointing ceremony of the 57 feet monolithic statue of Bhagwan Bahubali which is held once every 12 years in the town of Shravanabelagola in Karnataka. Shravanabelagola nestled by the Vindhyagiri & Chandragiri Hills is a sacred place for Jains, even before the carving of Lord Bahubali's statute by Chamundaraya in 981 A.D. The verdant natural beauty of Shravanabelagola, with its swaying coconut trees and natural bodies of water, bears testimony to the legendary mental strength of Tyaga & the tender message of Ahimsa that embodies the Jain Way of Life.
The word ‘Mahamasthakabhisheka’ is a combination of three words: Maha meaning great, Masthaka meaning head and Abhisheka meaning anointing which means ‘the head anointing ceremony’. The Mahamastakabhisheka is the largest gathering of Jains in the world and the next one is scheduled on February 17th to February 26th 2018. Over 10 million devotees are expected to attend the consecration ceremonies.