UPSC Prelims 2009 Q17: Art & Culture – Festivals, Crafts & Folk Traditions

UPSC Prelims 2009, General Studies Paper I · Art & Culture

Mahamasthakabhisheka, a great religious event, is associated with and done for who of the following?

Answer: (a) Bahubali

Explanation

Who the Mahamasthakabhisheka ritual is for

This grand religious event is a major Jain ceremonial occasion held periodically at a specific pilgrimage site.

Option	Verdict	Reason
(a) Bahubali	Correct	The Mahamasthakabhisheka is the grand head-anointing ceremony performed on the massive Bahubali (Gommateshwara) statue at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka
(b) Buddha	Incorrect	Not associated with this specific Jain ceremony
(c) Mahavir	Incorrect	While a central Jain figure, this specific ritual is tied to the Bahubali statue, not Mahavir
(d) Nataraja	Incorrect	Unrelated to this Jain ceremonial tradition

Mahamasthakabhisheka facts:

Point	Detail
Associated with	Bahubali (Gommateshwara) statue, Shravanabelagola
Nature	Grand, periodic head-anointing ceremony
Tradition	Jainism

Answer: (a) Bahubali.

(a) CORRECT. The Mahamasthakabhisheka is performed on the Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola.
(b) Incorrect. Buddha is unrelated to this specific Jain ceremony.
(c) Incorrect. Though central to Jainism, Mahavir is not the subject of this specific ritual.
(d) Incorrect. Nataraja is unrelated to this Jain ceremonial tradition.

The Mahamasthakabhisheka is the grand head-anointing ceremony performed on the Bahubali (Gommateshwara) statue at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka.

Mahamasthakabhisheka: the religious ceremony performed for the Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola.

Confusing this specific Bahubali-statue ritual with general Jain festivals honouring Mahavir.
Mixing up Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu ceremonial traditions.
Not knowing Shravanabelagola's specific significance as the site of this ceremony.

Mahamasthakabhisheka = Bahubali statue's head-anointing ceremony, at Shravanabelagola. A specific Jain ritual-site pairing.