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THC JAINA ANTIQUIATIX,
I Vol. V
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earliest one on record look place in 1398 and the intest in 1925 The following account of the ceremony held in 1897 is quoted from Epigraphia Carnatica, Vol. 2 Srovanı Bclgoln, p.es 18-19,
“The 14th March last was the day of anointing for the static of Gommatëśvara. It was a cat day, in anticipation of which 20,000 pilgrims gathered there from all parts of India 'l here were Bengalis there, Gujaratix also, and 'Tamil people in grck numbers. Some arrived a full month before the time, and the stream continucd to flow until the afternoon of the dogs of the great lcstival. For a whole month there was daily worship in all the temples, and padapuja or worship of the fact of the cical idol besider. On the grcat day, the 14th, the people began to ascend the hill even liefore dawn in the hope of securing good places liom which to see everything Among them were large numbers of women and girls in vers bright attire, carrying with them brass or carthen pots. By 10 o'clock all available space in the temple enclosure was fillerl. Opposite the idol an area of 40 squire fcct was sticwed with bruglit yellow puddy: on which were placed 1,000 gaily painted carthenware pots, filled with sacred water, covered with cocoanuts and adorned with mongo leaves. Above the image was scaffolding, on which stood several priests, each having at hand pots filled with ghec, mill: and such like things. At a signal from the Kolhapur Svami, the master of thc ceremonies, the contents of these vessels weic pourcd simultancously over the head of the idol This was a sort of preliminary bath, but the grand bath took place at 2 o'clock. Amid the horrible dissonance of many instruments the thousand pots alrcady mentioned were hillea as if by magic from the resei ved arca to the scaffolding and all their contents poured over the image, the pricsts meanwhile chanting tests from the sacred books. Evidently the people were much imprcsscu. There were mingled cries of Jai Jai Maharaja,' and 'Ahaha, ahahaly the distinctive exclamations of Northern and Southern Indians to mark their wonder and approval. In the final anointing fifteen different substances were used, namely, water, cocoanut meal, place tains, jaggery, ghee, sugar, almonds, dates, poppy seeds, milk, curas, sandal, gold flowers, silver flowers and silver coin. With gold and silver flowers there were mixed nine varieties
