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Jain monk breaks 180-day fast after walking 850km
This was the monk’s 100th Masakshaman Parna (Jain fasting), in which 100 maskhaman fasting was done. For context, 30 days is equal to one maskhaman. The monk - based at Jain Sangh in the Juhu Scheme area of Mumbai - took diksha at the age of 13
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Jain monk Acharya Vijay Hansratna Surisvarji Maharaja ended his 180 days of ‘nirjala upvas’ (fast observed without water and food) on Sunday. He walked barefoot to the city from Adhoi Village in Gujarat’s Kachchh district covering 850km.
A grand event was held to mark the ending of his fast on Sunday at the NSCI Dome in Worli where around 400 monks from all over India participated. Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, a disciple of Acharya Vijay Hansratna Surisvarji Maharaja, attended the event to seek blessings of his guru.
This was the monk’s 100th Masakshaman Parna (Jain fasting), in which 100 maskhaman fasting was done. For context, 30 days is equal to one maskhaman. The monk - based at Jain Sangh in the Juhu Scheme area of Mumbai - took diksha at the age of 13.
Viren Shah, founder of the Roopam fashion store chain, who was present at the event said, “Our maharaj travelled 850 km by road barefoot and it was a historic moment for the Jain community.”
Shah also said, “Actor Akshay Kumar is his ardent follower despite not being a Jain. He took an oath to observe Paryushan (a festival wherein Jains increase their level of spiritual intensity often using fasting and prayer/meditation) for eight days fasting is observed while mantras are chanted during sunrise and before sunset. Kumar also addressed the gathering and said he follows Jain principles in his life.”
