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Show Gather Every Fifteen Years to Honor Deity On the great hill of SravanbelgolH. n Mysore state, southern India, stands 1 colossal image over 60 feet high if the god Koniateswara. Every IS vears a great festival is held In honor of the deity, and hundreds of thou sands of Jains come from all parts of India to participate in it. Oue of the. principal events of the festival Is the ceremonial anointing if the image with ghee, milk, sandalwood sandal-wood ciil and other liquids. A huge scaffolding is erected around the figure to render it accessible, and the right to anoint It put up at auction a curl ous feature of a religious festival. The figure of the god is a huge monolith mon-olith probably the largest in the world. It was hewn out of solid rock at least a thousand years ago and Is in a wonderful state of preserva tion. Wide World Magazine. |