MUMBAI: More than 50 Jain Sanghs of Mumbai will jointly organise a grand Mahārath Yātrā on the city’s main roads on Sunday, in which thousands of Jains are expected to participate. The Mahārath Yātrā will commence at 8.30 a.m. from the Chandanbala Sangh at Walkeshwar and will conclude at the Lalbagh Sangh in Bhuleshwar with a religious assembly.
The Mahārath Yātrā will feature eight chariots, 20 palanquins, 15 bands, 52 decorated carriages representing 52 Sanghs, 12 musical groups, a live Rangoli presentation, a carriage featuring children from two Jain pathshalas, a South Indian musical group, portraits of revered Gurudevs and leaders of four Jain communities displayed on four carriages, four tutaris, eight Angadva acrobatic performers, eight spear performers, 10 vintage cars, a float depicting Purimtal, a float depicting Giriseva and Siddhagiriraaj, and a float representing those aspiring to take Diksha. There will also be 30 religious flags and a Solapuri musical group. A shower of fragrant perfume will be arranged along the route of the Mahārath Yātrā.
The organisers said that Sanghs united in accordance with scriptural teachings and prescribed religious discipline naturally reinforce the spirit of unity in accordance with the commands of Jinashasan.
All Sanghs from Bhiwandi to Byculla and from Nalasopara to Walkeshwar and across Central Mumbai will participate in the Mahārath Yātrā. Children from Jain pathshalas will spread the sacred message of Jainism while raising slogans in praise of the Jain Shasan. Every element of the procession has been specially decorated and prepared as an offering of devotion to the Tirthankar Paramatma. Twenty silver idols of the Tirthankar Paramatma will be ceremonially installed in 20 palanquins.
The procession will also showcase the design of the magnificent Samavasaran Temple taking shape on the sacred land of Purimtal, where the first Samavasaran of the Avasarpini period is believed to have been established. The sacred Shatrunjaya Mahatirth and the tradition of Giriseva will also be commemorated. Large numbers of Jain youth, dressed in traditional puja attire, will pull the chariots of Prabhuji with their own hands.
The Mahārath Yātrā has been organised under the guidance and auspices of revered Sūrivaras, Padistha Bhagwants, Munivars and Shramani Gans of the communities of Suri Ramchandra Maharaj, the largest community of Tapagachchha, as well as the communities of Suri Shantichandra and Siddhisurishwarji Maharaj, who are currently residing in Central Mumbai.
The four communities that have grown like a banyan tree from the spiritual legacy planted by Acharya Shri Vijay Ramchandrasurishwarji Maharaj — Acharya Shri Siddhi Surishwarji Maharaj, Acharya Shri Ramchandra Surishwarji Maharaj, Acharya Shri Amrit Surishwarji Maharaj and Acharya Shri Shantichandra Surishwarji Maharaj — will have more than 52 Sanghs participating in the Mahārath Yātrā.
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