Mahavir Jayanti or the birth anniversary of 24th Jain Tirthankar Mahavir Bhagwan will be celebrated across the city on April 2 with processions being taken out early morning from many Jain temples in the city.
The Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Charitable Trust will take out a procession from Dadar to Kalbadevi and end it at the Digamabar Jain Parsvanath Mandir. "The four sects of Jains in Mumbai will participate in this and we are expecting around two to three lakh people in the procession. We will be giving donations on our way to other charities and give food to the needy while the procession is on," said Dilip Parmar, organiser and convenor of the procession that has been titled 'Ahinsa Ekta Rath yatra'.
Parmar added that the message of live and let live and non-violence will be sent out through the rally. They have also organised community prayers and a night of devotional songs at Azad Maidan from 6pm to 10pm. "We are also organising a three-day medical camp at Byculla where everyone is welcome. It is being specially held for traffic police, BMC workers and the police. We will also clean up the roads between Dadar to Kalbadevi," said Parmar.
The rath yatra involves taking the idol of Lord Mahavir in a chariot. Many Jains keep fasts to observe the day. The trustee of Vasu Pujya Jain Mandir in King's circle, Jitubhai, said that around 1,500 people will be present for the procession in Matunga. "We will give out food packets to beggars and the needy on our way. We have also organised for food for the whole community and will also be feeding children in institutions," he said.
Kaushik Shah, who will be attending the procession said that they will attend the Pravachan by their Guruji who will talk about Lord Mahavir and what led to his birth and what was his message.
The 203-year-old Godiji Jain Derasar will be celebrating Mahavir Jayanti by decorating the temple and making it as grand as Diwali. As said by Manobhushan Vijayji Maharaj, there will be prayers, moving the cradle, decorating the idol and the temple with colours and offering sweets to near and dear ones.
