Surat: Six people, including a 19-year-old non-resident Indian (NRI) woman from Canada, would take diksha in Surat on Wednesday. Acharya Gunaratna Suriswarji will give them diksha, creating a record for him. The total number of people who have taken diksha from Acharya Gunaratna Suriswarji will go up to 400 when these six are initiated into monkhood. No other Jain monk has given diksha to so many people so far.
Kumarpal Hada (68) and his wife Sushila Hada (65), residents of Mumbai; Namrata Kumari, a resident of Bangalore; Neha Bamani (22) and Nidhi Bamani (19), two sisters from Chennai; and Heta Kumari, a resident of Toronto, Canada, would be initiated into monkhood at a grand ceremony in the city.
Heta Kumari was inspired by late Mukti Darshan Suri Maharaj and got drawn towards monkhood. Hada couple had a successful business in Mumbai, but decided to take diksha inspired by a relative. Neha and Nidhi were always very religious and when they decided to take diksha, it was wholeheartedly supported by their family.
Once the ceremony is completed, at least 400 kits containing grains, oil, ghee etc would be distributed among 400 poor people living in Pal area of the city. Sweets would be distributed to doctors of hospitals and clinics that treat Jain monks. The expenses for the whole ceremony will be borne by Nagori family and a few others.
The six who are taking the diksha