Things To Do On Mahavir Jayanti

Curiosity grows from the safe and familiar. A child is always curious to explore, learn and discover the myriad manifestations of life. It is very important for the child to be enriched with the correct morals and values in order to shape its mind and soul. It is the duty of the parents to nurture their child with the correct ethics and answer all its doubts and questions and also open the door of imagination for the child. 

Values are the positive teachings provided to help the child tread the right path in life.

Explain the importance of festivals to your children. When the child listens to stories related to Indian culture and traditions, he imbibes the qualities and absorbs the essence of it. 

Mahavira Jayanti is around the corner and quarantine is the best time to spend time with your loved ones and narrate them the story and the importance of this auspicious day.

Lord Mahavira is the founder of Jainism and the one who laid down the basic principles of Jainism. The five principles of Jainism as laid down by Lord Mahavira are Satya or truth, Ahimsa or non- violence, Achaurya meaning not stealing anyone else’s possessions, Bramhacharya or non-indulgence in sexual intercourse and Aparigraha meaning not assembling unnecessary goods.

It would be a good idea to narrate the stories of your childhood, what you used to do on this day when you were their age. Tell them how the ceremony is done.

• Followers visit the temples and offer ceremonial bath, known as ‘Abhishek’, to Mahavira’s idol.
• The temples are lavishly decorated with flags to mark the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira. 
• Majestic chariot processions are also carried out with images followed by millions of devotees while chanting prayers. 
• Traditional dishes are prepared on this particular day and alms are offered to the poor.
• On the occasion of Mahavira Jayanti, sermons are also held in shrines or temples to preach the philosophy of spiritual freedom and virtue. 
• Important chapters from the life of Mahavira are read out to the devotees that also contain biographies of Jain Tirthankars.

      “As the world fights with the coronavirus pandemic which has led us to this situation of lockdown, it is a good time to educate our kids about the importance of the principle Lord Mahavira preached to us - ‘Live and Let Live’. The way coronavirus has taken this deadly face simply because of a person with a non-vegetarian diet, now the people should understand that ‘Nonviolence is the highest Dharma’. Following this principle, people should be encouraged to turn vegetarian because only a healthy lifestyle can save us from the spread of such a deadly disease in the future.”  

  - Said Mr. Ravi Jain, General Secretary of the Ahinsadham Charitable Hospital.

“We will distribute food to poor people in front of Jain temple in the morning on the occasion of Mahavira Jayanti. We will  also do Aarti in the evening with our kids and will teach them about the principles of Lord Mahavira.”

                   - Shweta Jain (Member of Bhaktambar Mahila Mandal)

Mahavira Jayanti is one of the most significant festivals of Jainism. It is observed to commemorate the birth of Lord Mahavira, the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara of Jainism. The celebration lacks pomp and show and is mainly observed with reverence to Lord Mahavira, with the anointment of his statues, prayers and meditation as he himself aimed to make this world a calm and peaceful place.