Mahavir Jayanthi is the most important religious holiday for Jains. The function marks the birth of Mahavira. On Gregorian calendar the holiday comes either in March or April. The idol of Mahavira is carried out on a chariot, in a procession called “Rath Yatra”. On the way religious songs are recited. Local statues of Mahavira are given a ceremonial bath which is called the Abhisheka.


During the day most members of the Jain community engage in some sort of charitable act. Many devotees visits temple which is dedicated to Mahavira and offer prayers. Lectures by monks and nuns are conducted in preach the path of virtue as defined by Jainism. Donations are collected in order to promote charitable missions like saving cows from slaughter or helping to feed poor people.


Ancient Jain temple across India typically see an extremely high volume of practitioners come to pay their respects and join in the celebrations. Ahimsa runs and rallies preaching the Mahavir’s message of Ahimsa are taken out on this day. Mahavira was born into royalty as the son of King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala. It is said that when Trishala gave birth to Mahavira, the god king Indra bathed the new born himself with celestial milk, which a ritual is essentially marking him as Trithankara.



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