UDUPI: The Maha Mastakabhisheka of the 42-foot tall monolithic Gomateshwara of Karkala will be held between January 21 and 31.
Governor Vajubhai Vala will inaugurate the Maha Mastakabhisheka at 3 pm on January 21, according to the organisers.
BJP president Amit Shah and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will participate in the rituals to be held on January 27 and 28 respectively.
The Maha Masthakabhisheka is held every 12 years and has 13 sacred abhishekas, including jalabhisheka (water), ksheerabhisheka (milk), srigandhabhisheka, chandanabhisheka and kashayabhisheka to the monolithic statue. Each day, 300 litres of these materials each will be used for the event.
For the first time in the history of Karkala, metallic scaffolding has been laid to make way for public participation in the abhisheka.
Engineering experts from MIT, Manipal and NIT-K, Surathkal, have designed the scaffolding costing `45 lakh. The new scaffolding has a carrying capacity of over 500 people at a time.
Karkala town is getting ready for the celebration in which lakhs of people from across the country and abroad, are expected to participate.
Improvement of roads and drains and installation of streetlights among other works are on and the government has relesed Rs13.5 crore for the Maha Masthakabhisheka.
Another Rs 42 lakh is being spent by the Tourism Department to construct public toilets near Gomateshwara hills, Atthur and Irvatthur.