Thousands of Sthanakwasi Jain devotees thronged Upashrayas on Thursday for performing pratikraman rituals on the occasion of Samvatsari. Another sect, Derawasi Jains, will perform the ritual on Friday and end their fast on Saturday morning.
Ahmedabad (Gujarat), September 2, 2011: Thousands of Sthanakwasi Jain devotees thronged Upashrayas on Thursday for performing pratikraman rituals on the occasion of Samvatsari. Another sect, Derawasi Jains, will perform the ritual on Friday and end their fast on Saturday morning.
Vishok Jain, a volunteer of Shalibhadra Jain group, was among the devotees who performed pratikraman on Thursday. He said, “Around 1300 devotees attended the pratikraman and actively participated in it. In the evening, we asked each other for forgiveness by saying ‘Micchami Dukkaddam.”
After Samvatsari, devotees will break their fast in Upashrays by consuming sweet water on Friday morning. This ritual will be followed by celebrations in Jain houses.
However, Derawasi Jains will observe Samvatsari on Friday. Speaking on the importance of Samvatsari for Sthanakvasi Jains, president of Kutchi Jain Sewa Samaj, Ashok Mehta, said, “Those who could not fast for eight days, observed fast for a single day on Samvatsari. We consider the day very auspicious. Nowadays Sthanakwasi Jains opt for single day of fasting and end their fast after Samvatsari.”
Do rituals performed by Derawasi Jains on Samvatsari differ from Sthanakwasi Jains? Mehta said, “Apart from minor differences, there is hardly any difference in pratikraman and the morning ritual. Tomorrow, Jain devotees will gather at Upashrays, perform pratikraman and say ‘Micchammi Dukkaddam’. – News Courtesy:DNA India