Staff Reporter
Dimapur, September 8
The Jain community of Dimapur in a grand manner observed their 10-day Paryushan/Das Lakshan festival today, which started from August 30 at Sri Digambar Jain temple Dimapur.
Paryushan/Das Lakshan festival of Jainism gives term to the wholly purified quality of the soul, through which one gets rid of worldly conflicts and temptations and one gets fully immersed in the everlasting truth on experiencing and realizing the true nature of essence.
“This festival puts an end to all evils in man, gives him realization of the eternal bliss, and spiritualism becomes alive by the celebration of this festival” says Anand Sethi who is the son of Binod Kumar Sethi, Vice President of Shri Digambar Jain Samaj Dimapur. Highlighting on the significance of the ten-day festival, Sethi underlined that during the ten day celebration and fast each day has its own meaning which is associated with the ten virtues of Jainism i.e. forgiveness, modesty/ humility, straightforwardness, contentment, truth, self restraint, penance, renunciation, non attachment and supreme celibacy and each day is observed accordingly.
The ten-day fast is observed voluntarily and those observing fast are to take water once in a day, which completes their fast held Sethi. Conveying more on the festival he highlighted that during those ten days the community is supposed to abstain from taking potato, onion and garlic.
The Jain community observed the last day of Paryushan/Das Lakshan festival today where the community took out procession with the idol from Jain temple-M.P road-G.S road-Church road, which started at 3.30 pm. After the procession, the idol is brought back to the temple and washed off with water signifying to cleanse the idol of impurities from the outside world.
In a distinctive practice and pleasure, the ones observing fast during the ten-day long Paryushan/Das Lakshan festival are treated with a special breakfast the following day and the subsequent day a get together of the community are celebrated with feast.
Sethi remarking on the auspicious ten-day Paryushan/Das Lakshan says that through this celebration the Jain community repents for their sins and asks forgiveness from their elders by touching their feet and to their younger ones as well.
