My India — Festivals

Festivals of India — Mahavir Jayanti

Mahavir Jayanti, also known as Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, is observed by the Jain community as birth anniversary of sage Mahavira. Mahavira was the twenty-fourth and the last Tirthankara (great sages).

According to Jain texts, Mahavira was born on the thirteenth day of the bright half of the moon in the month of Chaitra (Trayodashi Tithi during Shukla Paksha of Chaitra) in the year 599 BC to King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala. On the Gregorian calendar, the holiday occurs either in March or April. Sage Mahavira died in 527 BC at the age of 72 to achieve Moksha or Nirvana. His body was cremated at Pawapuri, which was later on converted into a Jain temple (presently known as Jal Mandir).

As a child, Mahavira was called with the name Vardhamana, which means One who grows, because of the increased prosperity in the kingdom at the time of his birth.

Mahavira established core tenets of Jainism. He preached the philosophy to encourage nonviolence (Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satya), chastity (Bramacharya), non-stealing (Asatya), and simple living (Aparigraha).

GoldenTwine Informatics wishes you
Happy Mahavir Jayanti

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