Mahavir Jayanti
Mahavir Jayanti is the most important religious festival festival in Jainism. It celebrates the birth of Mahavira who was the last Tirthankara. Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated on the 13th day of the rising moon of Chaitra. Generally it occurs in late March or early April on the Gregorian calendar.
Mahavira was the son of Siddhartha and Trisala. The Jains are divided into many sects of which the main ones are Digambaras and Shvetambaras with the latter again divided into Deravasis and Sthanakvasis.
According to the legend, Devananda, wife of a Brahmin named Rishabhdeva, conceived him. The gods, ingeniously, transferred the embryo to the womb of Trisala.
According to Swetambara sect the expectant mother was believed to have seen 14 auspicious dreams. And according to Digambara sect it was 16 dreams. The Astrologers interpreted these dreams, stated that the child would be either an emperor or a Teerthankar.
On Mahavir Jayanthi, Jain temples are decorated with flags. In the morning the idol of Mahavira is given a ceremonial bath called the 'abhishek'. It is then placed in a cradle and carried in a procession around the neighborhood. The devotees will make offerings of milk, rice, fruit, incense, lamps and water to the tirthankar. Some sections of the community even participate in a grand procession. Lectures are held to preach the path of virtue.
Lord Mahavira spread the message of salvation to the world and had many followers. Mahavir preached non-violence, prohibited any kind of killing and taught his followers to seek salvation through penance and abstinence.
Mahavir Jayanti is the most important religious festival festival in Jainism. It celebrates the birth of Mahavira who was the last Tirthankara. Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated on the 13th day of the rising moon of Chaitra. Generally it occurs in late March or early April on the Gregorian calendar.
Mahavira was the son of Siddhartha and Trisala. The Jains are divided into many sects of which the main ones are Digambaras and Shvetambaras with the latter again divided into Deravasis and Sthanakvasis.
According to the legend, Devananda, wife of a Brahmin named Rishabhdeva, conceived him. The gods, ingeniously, transferred the embryo to the womb of Trisala.
According to Swetambara sect the expectant mother was believed to have seen 14 auspicious dreams. And according to Digambara sect it was 16 dreams. The Astrologers interpreted these dreams, stated that the child would be either an emperor or a Teerthankar.
On Mahavir Jayanthi, Jain temples are decorated with flags. In the morning the idol of Mahavira is given a ceremonial bath called the 'abhishek'. It is then placed in a cradle and carried in a procession around the neighborhood. The devotees will make offerings of milk, rice, fruit, incense, lamps and water to the tirthankar. Some sections of the community even participate in a grand procession. Lectures are held to preach the path of virtue.
Lord Mahavira spread the message of salvation to the world and had many followers. Mahavir preached non-violence, prohibited any kind of killing and taught his followers to seek salvation through penance and abstinence.