The hills all spruced up for 2018 Mahamastakabhisheka

Hassan: The Vindhyagiri Hill on which the tremendous statue of Bahubali is standing has been prepared for Mahamastakabhishkea Mahotsav-2018 more than ever by Archeological Survey of India (ASI), the caretaker of the landmark at Shravanabelagola.

The arrangements for Mahamastakabhisheka started with ASI cleaning the statue using gentle cleansers, a standard practice before the Mahamastakabhisheka. The cleaning of the statue was finished well ahead of time so that the Shravanabelagola Jain Mutt could start its customs.

Fearing violations, the whole areas of both Vindhyagiri and Chandragiri Hills, have been fenced with iron fences, another expansion to Shravanabelagola. A different row of steps was etched by ASI to make it helpful for dholiwallahs shipping old and disabled individuals to the highest point of Vindhyagiri for darshan of Bahubali. The current advances were given iron railings as help to the devotees to climb and get down.

The Chikka Devaraja Kalyani, an old lake at the foot of Vindhyagiri and Chandragiri Hills, has been given a facelift by Hassan Zilla Panchayat. Upwards of 11 satellite towns have been made to set up temporary tents for the devotees to remain at Shravanabelagola.

Special Officer for the Mahamastakbhisheka-2018 Vara Prasad Reddy says accommodations has been made accessible for around 26,000 devotees including separate offices for Jain Tyagis and Matajis.