The biggest festival of Jains, Paryushan 2013 begins today

Ahmedabad, 2 September 2013

Eight days long Paryushan festival of Jain community begins today. The last day of Paryushan is celebrated as ‘Samvatsari’ festival(Kshamapana parva or Forgiveness Day, this year on 9 September).This day, Jains request forgiveness from each other for all offenses committed. The community members greet each other saying ‘Michhaami dukkadm’. It is an ancient Prakrit phrase literally meaning — may all the evil that has been done be fruitless.

Gujarat has small but influential presence of Jain community, especially in urban areas. The state has some major Jain pilgrim places in Gujarat like Palitana, Shankheshwar, Mahudi and Girnar.

During Paryushan festival, Jain mandirs(the’re called derasara) are decorated with lighting and flowers(decoration of murti is called Aangi). At Upashraya(where Jain monks halt for four months long chaturmas period of monsoon) Jain community members attend Pratikraman sessions everyday in the evening. The sessions are conducted by senior Jain monks.

Fifth day of Paryushan is celebrated as birth anniversary of 24th Tirthankar Mahavir Swami(this year on 6 September). Some Jain community members observe 8 days fast (aththai) during Paryushan period.

As per the tradition, Jain monks can’t travel abroad(they never board vehicle even forget plane), but there are thousands of Jain community members living abroad in various countries. To give them discourse and to conduct proper Pratikraman sessions, Jain monk Panyas Shri Chandrashekharvijayji has inspired formation of 15 teams of youths. The youths sent to London, America, Kenya, Australia, Japan and Antverp are properly trained and are sent to the areas in foreign countries where population of Jain community members is significant.