Devotees throng to Shravanbelagoal to anoint Gomateshwara

Mahamastabhisheka of Gomateswara (Lord Bahubali) has been a tradition held every 12 years since AD 981. (Photos: AP)

Devotees sprinkle powder of medicinal herb on the 58.8-foot monolithic statue of Jain god Gomateshwara at Shravanabelagola 145 kilometers (91 miles) west of Bangalore, India, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. Hundreds of thousands of Jain devotees will attend the Mahamastabhisheka or head anointing ceremony of the 1,037-year-old statue Gomateswara (Lord Bahubali), a tradition held every 12 years since AD 981. The 1,037-year-old statue is bathed with milk, turmeric, vermilion, saffron, sandalwood paste, powder of medicinal herbs and gold coins.

Turmeric runs down the 58.8-foot monolithic statue of Jain god Gomateshwara at Shravanabelagola 145 kilometers (91 miles) west of Bangalore.

Bahubali, a much revered figure among Jains, was the son of Adinath, the first tirthankara of Jainism, and the younger brother of Bharata Chakravartin.

Bahubali is said to have meditated motionless for one year in a standing posture (kayotsarga) and that during this time, climbing plants grew around his legs. After his year of meditation, Bahubali is said to have attained omniscience. Here Devotees reach to collect flower petals showered on the 58.8-foot monolithic statue of Jain god Gomateshwara

Pilgrims line up to pour water on the 58.8-foot monolithic statue of Jain god Gomateshwara.

Devotees react during the anointment ceremony of the 58.8-foot monolithic statue of Jain god Gomateshwara.

The monolithic statue of Bahubali at Shravanabelagola was carved from a single block of granite. The statue was commissioned by the Ganga dynasty minister and commander Chavundaraya; it is 57-foot (17 m) tall and is situated above a hill in Shravanabelagola, in the Hassan district of Karnataka.