Of the Diksharthis, 21 are from Gujarat, 17 from Mumbai, five from Rajasthan and one from Kolkata. (Express Photo: Dilip Kagda)Written by Trisha Sanyal
The first-ever Jain Diksha ceremony in the city started with the community’s 44 members, set to renounce worldly pleasures. The five-day programme, which began on Saturday, is being held in Chikoowadi, Borivali (East).
The organiser, Adhyatm Parivaar, has set up a large stage, where the diksharthis will be ordained as monks. Once inducted, the 44 members —comprising both male and female diksharthis and aged between 12 and 66 years — will lead an ascetic life that will include rules like remaining barefoot and eating once a day.
“Diksha is the very first step towards peace. Since the very beginning, we are conditioned to attain happiness and peace. This year, we have 44 diksharthis, out of whom 70 per cent are below the age of 25 years. The entire process of becoming a monk or nun helps a person to introspect,” said Hitesh Modi, who heads the Adhyatm Parivaar. Of the Diksharthis, 21 are from Gujarat, 17 from Mumbai, five from Rajasthan and one from Kolkata. The Diksha Maha-Mahotsav is expected to draw a crowd of up to 50,000 people, said the organisers.
The members, some of whom come from the wealthiest Jain families, will undergo training under an instructor for six months to attain monkhood. Acharya Lok Tilak Maharaj, who is guiding the diksharthis in Mumbai, said during the course of the training, instructors keenly observe the behaviour of the members as well as note their reaction to certain situations before deciding whether or not they are ready to attain diksha.
Among the diksharthis in Mumbai are diamond merchant Milan Virani (54) and his wife and two adult children. “After spending several years in the diamond business in Bangkok, I returned to India with my family in 2003. Since then, we have been staying at the Parivaar’s ashram. We have now decided to attain diksha,” he said.
Also in attendance was 15-year-old Shastra Tilak, who had attained diksha as an eight-year-old and said he was very happy with his decision. “I wanted to lead a stress-free life where there would be no confusion, no ego or selfishness. I don’t want to get back to the materialistic lifestyle,” he said.
