Karkala, April 19, 2026: The grand Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony for the monolithic statue of Lord Bahubali (Gommateshwara) atop the Gommateshwara Hill in Karkala, which takes place once every 12 years, is scheduled to be held from February 18 to 28, 2027. The Karkala Bhagwan Sri Bahubali Swami Mahamastakabhisheka Committee made this official announcement on Sunday.

The announcement was made by the Committee’s Working President, Dr. M.N. Rajendra Kumar, at the Bhagwan Sri Bahubali Pravachana Mandira in Danashala, in the presence of Swasthi Sri Lalithakeerthi Bhattarakha Pattacharyavarya Mahaswamiji of Karkala Jain Mutt. Earlier, the newly established office of the Mahamastakabhisheka Committee was inaugurated by Udupi District Collector Swaroopa T.K. D. Harshendra Kumar of Dharmasthala, representing Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, and Dr. Mohan Alva were among the prominent guests present.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr. M.N. Rajendra Kumar stated, “The Mahamastakabhisheka is not just a religious ritual but a regional festival celebrated by people beyond caste and creed. With 305 days remaining for the event, we must work collectively to ensure its grand success.”

D. Harshendra Kumar, who inaugurated the formal stage program, noted that it is a blessing to witness the anointment ceremonies of Gommateshwara at Venur, Dharmasthala, and Karkala in one’s lifetime. He urged for meticulous preparations to ensure a smooth experience for devotees. Delivering his blessings, Lalithakeerthi Bhattarakha Swamiji highlighted that Lord Bahubali’s life of sacrifice and detachment serves as a guiding light for humanity.

Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, Adani Group Executive Director Kishore Alva, Udaykumar Shetty Muniyalu, and former Minister Abhayachandra Jain extended their best wishes and promised full support for the event.

The event saw the attendance of several dignitaries, including Udupi ZP CEO Prateek Bayal, ASP Sudhakar Nayak, Committee Vice President K.P. Jagadish Adhikari, DySP Vijay Prasad, Belapu Deviprasad Shetty, and other committee members such as Prabhat Kumar, Anantharaja Poovani, Sampath Samrajya, Sudhir Padiwal, and many others.

General Secretary of the Committee, Pushparaj Jain Mangaluru, welcomed the guests. Mohan Padiwal delivered the vote of thanks, and Ajith Kokradi compered the program.

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