The Jain community in Ahmedabad made history with a significant Diksha ceremony that attracted a large number of devotees. Sanjay Vohra, a Jain devotee and event coordinator, noted the historic nature of the event, stating, “In the 500-year history of Ahmedabad city, for the first time, such a large gathering of Jain devotees is taking part in the Diksha ceremony. This in itself is a record.”
Highlighting the participation of children in the ceremony, Vohra emphasized that children who exhibit impressions of their past lives are capable of undertaking the challenging path of Diksha. “The importance of this event is that among the 35 devotees taking part, 10 are children, aged between 8 and 18 years. In our religion, it is said that children who come with the impressions of their previous births are the ones capable of undertaking such a difficult path of Diksha,” Vohra explained.
One of the notable participants in the ceremony is Gujarat-based businessman Bhavesh Bhai Bhandari, who, along with his wife, decided to embrace monkhood. His inspiration stemmed from his children, who embarked on the path of Diksha in 2022. Following their example, Bhavesh Bhai and his wife chose to embark on this spiritual journey. Vohra mentioned, “Since hearing our Guru Maharaj in the past 10 years, more than 300 people have taken Diksha.”
Regarding the ceremony, Vohra added, “Among the 35 people taking Diksha, there are 5 couples, and there’s one family where 6 members from the same family are taking Diksha. The 10 children, who are also minors, are included in this ceremony.”
Diksha ceremonies in Jainism traditionally signify renunciation and the pursuit of spiritual liberation.
In a separate event, former Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP leader Vijay Rupani flagged off the Mahavir Jayanti Yatra in Rajkot, extending his best wishes to everyone. “On the auspicious day of Mahavir Jayanti, Jains across the country celebrate with the principles of Lord Mahavir. I extend my best wishes to everyone,” Rupani told ANI.
Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended their wishes on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti. PM Modi highlighted the inspirational messages of Lord Mahavir, stating, “On the auspicious occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, my best wishes to all the families of the country. Lord Mahavir’s messages related to peace, restraint and goodwill are an inspiration for the country in building a developed India.”
Amit Shah praised Lord Mahavir’s principles of non-violence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy, and non-possession, stating, “Infinite wishes to everyone on Lord Mahavir Jayanti. Lord Mahavir Ji, the eternal symbol of sacrifice, penance, truth and non-violence, paved the way for the welfare of the entire human race through his teachings.”