Jain religion is the oldest religion in the world. 24 Tirthankar starting from Adinath Rishabhdev led Jainism in this Avasarpini era.
Motto of Jainism is to liberate oneself from all Karmik bondage and to attend salvation.
Besides religion Jain is also a community and society. Jain community is an ancient community that has very rich tradition and culture.
Pearls are used as gems since ancient times. Jewelers make beautiful Jewelry from pearls all over the world. However, pearls are not for Jain community. Most of the pearls are obtained through a highly violent and Cruel process. We know that Jainism is known for Ahimsa, the non-violence.
Pearls were found naturally from both sea water and fresh water since time immemorial and people were using those in strings and other varieties of Jewelry. However, Mikimoti in Japan invented a method to culture pearls artificially. As real pears were rare, cultured pearls soon became very popular.
Later on many other varieties of artificial pearls came in the market such as Bibaco pearls, fresh water pearls and finally the Chinese pearls. Chinese pearls are also known as Hyderabad pearls in India.
All these pearls are obtained by killingoysters. Oysters are living beings, henceit is not advisable for Jain community to use these pearls.
Millions of oysters are nurtured and injected artificially to get pearls. Those are killed to obtain pearls. It is seen that some of the Jain Jewelers are involved in this business. Though most of them do not farm oysters but they obtain pearls from fishermen who kill the oysters.
I request these Jewelers to leave the business and adopt some other business that is less violent. Jain, Jainism, Jain Temples,
(Jyoti Kothari, proprietor, Vardhaman Gems, Jaipur represents centuries old tradition of excellence in Gems and Jewelry. He is also a Quality Management System, ISO 9000 Professional.)
Paush Dashmi is the birth date of Lord Parshwanath commonly known as Parasnath, 23rd Tithankar of Jain. Jain community all over India observe birth day of their Tirthankar with great enthusiasm.
Jain offer Puja in various temples. Ceremony was organized in Deraur Parasnathtemple with a Puja. Vidhikarak Yashwant Golechhaconducted Puja. Puja was followed by a Sadharmi Vatsalya.
ABarghoda (Procession) is traditionally brought from MohanbadiSanwalia Parasnath Temple to Panchayati Mandir in Johri Bazar.
Paush Dashmi Festival in Jaipur Video
This video is about a traditional procession (Barghoda or Julush) from Mohanbadi to Suparshwanath Jaintemple in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The procession starts from Mohanbadi, an old Jain temple and Dadabadi and progresses thorugh Ramganj and Manak Choupad to Johari Bazar. It enters in to the streets of Johri Bazar and reach Suparshwanath Jain temple in Dada, Gheewalon Ka Rasta via Vichakshan Bhawan.
People welcome the procession there and worship Lord Parshwanath (Parasnath) with Bhajan, Arati and Mangal Dipak.
Spiritual place Agas Ashram is established to observe teachings of Shrimad Rajchandra. He was an enlightened person contemporary to Swami Vivekanand. He was spiritual Guru of Mahatma Gandhi. 25 comments
Shree Sheetalnath Swami,The Tenth Teerthankara. The Parasnath Temple Wanna visit Kolkata, Capital of West Bengal, India? A must visit is Parashnath Jain temple built by Rai Badridas Bahadoor Mookim. Rai... 18 comments
Tirthankar Parswanath in White marble. 24 Tirthankaras. Six in each side. Murshidabad is a historical district in West Bengal province in India. Nawab Mursheed coolie Khan established the city of Murshidabad... 4 comments
Magnificent front view of Kolkata Jain Dadabadi Beautiful back view of Kolkata Jain Dadabadi Kolkata is now the capital of West Bengal and the second biggest city (After Mumbai) in India. It was the Capital... 7 comments
Jain sacred symbol Hrimkara with 24 Tirthankaras Rshabhadeva in Palitana Jain sacred symbol Omkara with Pancha Parameshthi Sri Adinath Rshabh Deva, Mulanayak, Agam mandir, Palitana Talheti Tirthankar... 2 comments
Pratishtha ceremony of Jalgaon Jain Temple is scheduled on December 12, 2009. Suresh Dada Jain, a well known political entity in Jalgaon and Maharashtra has built this temple. He built a Dadabadi few years back In Jalgaon and announced building a temple at that time.
The newly built Jain temple is situated on the other side of road of the Dadabadi. Suresh Dada Jain built both jain temple and Dadabadi to honor his parents. Jain Sadhwi (Nun) Shree ManiprabhaJain temple andDadabadi. Sri Ji inspired him to built
Pratishtha of the temple will be accomplished in the auspices of the same Sadhwi Maniprabha Sri Ji. Sadhwi Maniprabha Sri Ji is disciple of famous Jain Sadhwi Jain Kokila Shree Vichakshan Sri Ji. She belongs to Khartar Gachchha sect of Jain ShwetambarJainism in Jalgaon and other parts of Maharashtra. community. Pratishtha of this jain temple will help expansion of
Suresh Dada Jain has invited Jain communities from all over the world to participate in the Pratishtha ceremony. Large numbers of devotees are expected to reach there from various parts of India and overseas. Major overseas participation is expected from the US and the UK.
President Obama, US refers to Lord Mahavira and the Tirthankaras in a video that you can watch here:
American President Obama's Diwali Message states:-
"On behalf of the American people ...In Jainism the occasion celebratess the Nirvana of Lord Mahavira, one of a long line of spiritual leaders known for achieving enlightenment by freeing themselves of base human impulses and emotions. ..."
An E-mail from Shikhar Kochar, Chennai informed me of this sad incident. I reproduce the mail as it is.
Bahushruta Jain monk Muni Jambuvijayaji was killed in a road accident. His tragic death is deeply mourned.
In the morning of 12 November, 2009 Jambuvijayaji was traveling on foot along with other monks from Balotra in Rajasthan to Jaisalmer and they were hit by a speeding truck. Two monks, Jambuvijayaji and Namaskarvijayaji died in the accident and others are seriously injured. Jambuvijayji was 87 years old.
I am deeply saddened to hear of this grave loss. Muni Jambuvijaya was a scholar in the tradition of Upadhyaya Yashovijaya. He was only interested in the Agamas and his work. He had no interest in sectarian politics, in building temples, etc. All he did was produce high class critical editions of the Agamas for the Mahavira Jain Vidyalaya series.
I have been fortunate enough to meet him in 2004. One of his students, Prof Dr Sin Fujinaga had taken me to meet him. We were in Ahmedabad as we were both presenting papers at the World Peace Conference there.
Dr Fujinaga took me to Koba and there we spent about 7 - 8 hours with pujya maharaj Shri Jambuvijayaji.
Jambuvijayaji was kind enough to spare a lot of time for us. He knew my great-grandfather, Pandit Nathuram Premi, very well and reminisced about his meetings with him. Fortunately for me, Shri Chitrabhanuji also arrived at about the same time to meet Jambuvijayaji. And since I am close to Chitrabhanuji, it was wonderful to spend the day in the august presence of such learned scholars.
We discussed several issues. Jambuvijayaji spoke of his tremendous reverence for Acarya Kundakunda, Acarya Pujyapada, Acarya Akalanka and Acarya Joindu and both Chitrabhanuji and Jambuvijayaji expressed their immense admiration for the Samayasara.
Jambuvijayaji spoke of the many occasions when he has visited Digambara Jain temples and said in a light vein. - 'Pitaji to pitaji hote hain, aankh lagaao to, nahiin lagaao to bhii.' (My father is my father, whether he is fitted with external eyes or not). He was referring to the Jinas, and saying that whether the Jina image was a Shvetambara image (with external eyes affixed to it) or a Digambara image (without external eyes affixed to it).
Both Jambuvijayaji and Chitrabhanuji, also, the Bandhu Triputi (Titthal) were all antevasi (direct) students of Acarya Prem Suri (of Pindwada). Acarya Prem Suri was one of the most important Jain monks of the 20th century. His students were all masterpieces.
Acarya Bhuvanabhanu Suri, Acarya Ram Suri, Acarya Jayaghosha Suri were all Gacchadhipatis. Jambuvijayaji, Chitrabhanuji, Acarya Jayasundara Suri, the Bandhu Triputi are all widely respected and learned scholars.
Jambuvijayaji was a student of Premi Suri and then became a student of Bhuvanabhanu Suri. I still retain with pride, my copy of JAIN DARSHAN by Dr Mahendrakumar Nyayacarya, autographed by Jambuvijayaji. I will treasure my meeting with him in Koba and am thankful to my friend Sin Fujinaga for having taken me there to meet him.
Jambuvijayaji was a credit to Jainism. He worked all his life to create critically edited volumes of the Agamas. After his death, I can only think of Shilacandra Suri who is doing this kind of work in Shvetambara murtipujaka parampara. There is no monk in the Digambara parampara who is doing this kind of critical editing work. I have hopes from the Shvetambara Terapanthi parampara. Hopefully, they will carry on this noble task of producing critically edited texts of all Agamic literature. It is a very crucial task and Jambuvijayaji, like Jinavijayaji and Punyavijayaji before him, stuck to this low profile task manfully.
His death is a blow to all of Indological studies, not just Jain studies. Eminent Western scholars of Jainism such as Prof Dr Padmanabh S Jaini, Prof Dr Nalini Balbir, Dr Paul Dundas, Prof Dr Phyllis Granoff, Prof Dr Willem Bollee, Prof Dr Adelheid Mette, Prof Dr John Cort, Prof Dr Sin Fujinaga, Prof Dr Olle Qvarnström, Dr Peter Fluegel, Dr Kornelius Kruempelmann, Dr Eva DeClercq and Dr Piotr Balcerowicz will all be deeply saddened by this loss. As indeed is all of India.
I bow in reverence to his profound scholarship and remember with gratitude his kindness to me
Jyoti Kothari is proprietor, Vardhaman Gems, a leading Gem and Jewelry manufacturers and traders having Head office in Jaipur and operating in Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. Vardhaman Gems (http://vardhamangems.webs.com) have global client base. Business and franchisee inquiries solicited.
Jyoti Kothari is also a Quality Management System (ISO 9000) Trainer, Consultant and Lead Auditor.
He is Educationist, writer, Social worker and Philanthropist.
