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As monsoon season starts, the Jain community has started preparations to observe Chaturmas, where Jain monks will be welcomed in grand manner as they plan their stay at a single place for four months. At various Jain Sanghs across Mumbai, preparations have started to welcome monks and celebrate the monsoon period with a series of spiritual and religious functions.
Believed to be a holy period by Hindus, Chaturmas is observed for four months during monsoon from Shayani Ekadashi to Prabodhini Ekadashi. Along with the Hindus, Chaturmas has a special significance in Jainism as well, where Jains follow religious rituals and practises more rigorously. This year the period of Chaturmas will be observed from July 17 to November 12.
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Jain monks who always travel different cities and states across the country preaching spirituality, halt their travel with the beginning of Chaturmas and stay at a single upashray, a residence for Jain monks, for a period of these four months. Members of the Jain community are also expected to observe this period strictly by minimising use of electronic equipments, consuming only home cooked meals and stress upon positive emotions.
As many revered Jain monks plan their stay at a single place for the season, various religious activities are carried out by various Jain sanghs during this period. Paryushan and Samvatsari, two of the most important festivals in Jainism, also fall within Chaturmas and add to the importance of this period.
With a handsome amount of Jain population settled in Mumbai, various sanghs have already started the preparation of welcoming the monks in a grand way. The Dakshin Mumbai Achalgachchh Jain Sangh of South Mumbai will welcome the revered Jain monk Kalaprabhsagarsurishvarji Maharaj and other monks on Sunday. The welcoming ceremony will be marked with a grand procession starting at 8 am in Girgaon and will be followed by religious sermon near Central Plaza at Charni Road.
The Achalgachchh Jain Sangh of Mulund (E) welcomed revered Jain monk Kavindrasagarsurishvarji Maharaj on Thursday and where community members joined in huge numbers to listen to the first sermon of the monks. The Achalgachchh Jain Sangh of Dombivali (E) also welcomed the revered Jain nuns Maungunashriji, Vandangunashriji and others on Friday. The members of the sangh joined in a grand procession at Shree Adinath Dada Gruha Jinalaya.
“Jainism is a religion of peace and non-violence and its prime example is the observation of Chaturmas. The reason that our revered saints do not travel during this time is because many micro organisms come out in the rain and we believe that we should not kill them under our feet. We will indulge in religious ceremonies and will worship the god in this four-months long period,” said a member of the Jain sangh.
