Shravanabelagola: In the first of its kind in the tradition of Mahmastakabhisheka in this hallowed town of Lord Bahubali, Saffron grown in Pampore in Jammu and Kashmir will be used during the Mahamastakabhisheka (head anointment) starting from February 17.
The Unique Saffron Growers Welfare and Marketing Cooperative Limited of Pampore has sent 3 kgs of the world’s purest form of Saffron from Kashmir to Shravanabelagola. Rajendra Kumar Jain, who trades in Saffron, brought it from Pampore – the growing area – and handed it over to the Swamiji of Shravanabelagola Jain mutt in a simple ceremony. This particular type of Saffron is endemic to the Pampore region of Jammu and Kashmir state. The Sher-e-Kashmir University, which runs a research department on ‘Saffronology’, runs a project in improving the output and yield of Saffron in close co-operation with the Co-operative.
Receiving the special offering from Rajendra Kumar Jain, Pontiff of the Shravanabelagola Jain Mutt Jagadguru Swastisri Charukirthi Bhattaraka said, “It is a unique offering. This will be used in the Mahamastakabshisheka as an offering from the people of Jammu and Kashmir. I am pained at the disturbances in the Jammu and Kashmir state and I will pray for the return of peace in the valley state during the Mahamastakabhisheka. May the fragrance of the Kashmiri Saffron spread to the heavens and may peace descend on the state of Jammu Kashmir and the entire world,” the Swamiji said.
Speaking to this correspondent, Rajendra Kumar Jain said, “There were about 400 farmers who are engaged in saffron farming and when I told the co-operative leaders there about the Mahamastakabhisheka in Shravanabelagola they took special care to pack the Saffron in tastefully designed canisters and asked me to tell the Swamiji to pray for peace in the valley.”
In one of the 108 Kalashas that offer the abhisheka material, the saffron will be put and soaked till the water in the Kalasha becomes fragrant and colourful. This is the first time in the last 1037 years of history of Shravanabelagola that Saffron from Jammu and Kashmir has been received for the Mahamastkabhisheka.
