Today is the most significant and auspicious day for the Jain community who are the followers of Lord Mahavir. This day is celebrated as Lord Mahavir’s birth anniversary and is called “Bhagwan Mahavir Jan Kalyanak Diwas”.
According to the Jainism philosophy, Lord Mahavir is the last Tirthankar (savior) of the total 24 Tirthankaras. Mahavir was a strong proponent of non-violence, compassion and ahimsa towards all beings. He preached love and respect towards all beings from the tiniest micro-organisms to the largest multi-celled creatures. The values of non-violence and compassion formed the core of Jain religion.
Some of the teachings of Lord Mahavira are:
सभी जीवों के प्रति सम्मान अहिंसा है।
(Respect for all living beings is Ahimsa).यदि तुम अपने शरीर या दिमाग पर दूसरों के शब्दों अथवा कृत्यों द्वारा चोट बरदाश्त नहीं कर सकते तो तुम्हें दूसरों के साथ अपने शब्दों अथवा कृत्यों द्वारा ऐसा करने का क्या अधिकार है?
(If you can’t endure the pain on your body and mind inflicted by the words or deeds of others then what right do you have to inflict the same by your own words and deeds to others?)सुख और दुःख में, आनंद में और कष्ट में, हमें हर जीव के प्रति वैसी ही भावना रखनी चाहिए जैसी कि हम अपने प्रति रखते हैं।
(In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self)किसी भी जीव को नुकसान न पहुंचाएं, गाली न दे, अत्याचार न करें, उसे दास न बनाये, उसका अपमान न करें, उसे सताए अथवा प्रताड़ित न करें तथा उसकी हत्या न करें।
(Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture or kill any creature or living being).पर्यावरण का सबसे महत्वपूर्ण सिद्धांत यह है कि सिर्फ आप ही इसके एकमात्र तत्व नहीं हो।
(The most important principle of environment is that you are not the only element).
How is this festival celebrated?
In my city it is celebrated with much fun and fervor. A series of events ar planned for a whole week including several cultural nights, lectures and seminars, distribution of food and stuff in charitable centers, organizing of blood donation camp, several competitions etc. All these activities culminate into a large procession (called Juloos or Rath Yatra) on the day of Janma Kalyanak.
This procession is attended by a huge crowd including ladies and gents, school children and youths of the Jain community. The procession travels around the streets of the city for about 3-4 hours. All Jain community members observe a full day holiday on this festival. This year our State Government declared it as a Government holiday for all.
The Procession
Like all other religions, followers of Jainism to are divided into several sects and sub sects over some minor ideological differences. So several small processions were being organized in different localities. About a decade back, efforts to re-unite the Jain followers were taken and a joint procession started to get organized.
Since some sect do idol worship of Lord Mahavir and carry it along in their procession while others are against any kind of idol worship and don’t want any idol in the procession, a compromise was made. Now only a picture of Jain symbol is used in the chariot instead of any idol of Lord Mahavir. Thus all sects of Jains could participate in this procession.
Use of animals in procession
When I came to this city 5 years back, I found that animals like elephants, camels, horses, mules etc. were being used in this procession as the beast of burden. I was deeply appalled by this situation. So I convinced, petitioned and requested the organizers to do without these animals. How can the chariot of Lord Mahavir, the proponent of non-violence, can be made to pull by a beast!
I was surprised to note that my lamenting fell on deaf ears. But I continued to follow it up every year. It was ridiculous to me that organizers started negotiations with me on this issue assuring me that they are constantly trying to reduce the number of animals. For three years now they are not using any elephant, have reduced the number of camel carts, have done away with mules but they were clueless on what to use in place of lead horses. I suggested a lot of alternatives but they weren’t willing to accept. They only told me that they will just keep the lead horses with Jain flag and nobody will ride on it. But these turned out to be false assurances.
This year, I didn’t approach anyone nor did I write any letters for this issue. I just went to see what they are doing this time. An officeholder from one of the sects recognized me and informed me that this time they have drastically reduced the number of animals and there are only 3-4 horses in all. But I saw 7 lead horses, horse being used in chariot, 3 camel carts and strangely a live bird in a tableau!
A tableau of King Meghrath folklore
Among the many tableaus, this particular tableau drew my attention. The famous story of King Meghrath in which he offers the flesh from his own body to a hawk who wanted to prey on a pigeon was depicted. King Meghrath vowed to save the life of the pigeon even if he had to offer his own life in exchange. So on a weighing balance, he was trying to give his own flesh equaling the weight of the pigeon.
To recreate this scene in the tableau, a live pigeon was being used and a man was holding it on a balance. How stupid! At the one hand we are talking of non-violence and giving the message of saving the wild life, on the other hand we are making a free bird captive in this summer heat! Couldn’t putting a toy-bird in its place, solve the purpose?
A tableau of Armed Defense
Now I couldn’t interpret this one. How can you connect non-violence with waving of guns? Someone tried to explain me that being non-violent doesn’t mean that we can’t defend ourselves. But the best arms to defend yourself are love and forgiveness, compassion and sacrifice. Aggression itself is violence. Then the other person tried to convince me that this has nothing to do with our religion but trying to copy the tableaux of other religions. LOL!
Use of fresh flowers in decoration
The use of fresh flowers for decorating tableaux was also common. Many Jains dissuade the use of fresh flowers and don't even touch them. They don't even walk on green grass. They would use artificial flowers instead for decorative purposes. According to them this is an unnecessary act of violence which can be easily avoided.
Alternative ways of decoration and substitute of animal driven carts:
Who will deliver the message of Lord Mahavir to the masses if not the Jains?