Jains gear up for annual fest

Secunderabad: Jain community in Secunderabad is bracing up for their annual festival of Paryushan beginning from August 18. The Secunderabad Gujarati Jain Shewetamber Murtipujak Sangh has been following the custom for the past 50 years.

Shwetamber Jains celebrate the Paryushan Parva for eight days and the Digambar Jains observe it for 10 days. The customs and rituals of Paryushan have been followed by Jains for the past 1,600 years which is observed in order to achieve self-upliftment and purification of soul by forgiving each other.

The eight-day festivities will end on August 25 with special rituals and customary puja. As part of the Paryushan, devotees fast for the entire consuming only boiled water. The belief is that, it helps a person attaining good health besides keeping the ritual alive.

Navnit Metha, President of Secunderabad Gujarati Jain Shwetamber Murtipujak Sangh said the festival was one of the most important festivals of Jains. He said in those days people observed fasting, followed customs, decorated idols of God “Aangi” among other rituals.

A procession would be taken out from Ranigunj to Sindhi Colony after eight days on August 27, he added.A Jain monk, Rajpragya Shriji said Paryushan Parva was celebrated for forgiveness of sins. She said the Jains had to follow the customs once in a year and people fasted during these days for purification of soul. People should listen to shlokas written in the granth at least for 21 years, she added.

By Aneri Shah