🥳 Big News! Today's meeting of Jain delegates with Central govt to #SaveShikharji has given positive results. Shikharji will remain a Holy Pilgrimage site, not a Tourist centre. All steps will be taken to protect its sanctity like banning Meat, Liquor, Anti-social activities (1)
Ministry of Environment,Forests & Climate change (Wild life Division) issued an official letter
The declaration of Parasnath hill under eco-sensitive zone is stayed. 2 Jains+1 Tribal will form a committee to monitor progress
Unauthorized camping, trekking will be prohibited (2)
@JharkhandCMO@HemantSorenJMM had also issued a letter today to the Environment Ministry, taking into consideration the sentiments of Jains towards their sacred Tirth Shikharji. (3)
Salute to all those who participated in rallies, worked day & night for banners,flags,media content; those who took Anshan; who shaved their heads;who penned down letters with their blood;who bravely faced the police;shat-shat Naman to Maharaj ji who lost his life fasting🙏🏼 (4)
Most importantly Sanjay Jain ji @vishwajains who lead this current movement that spread beyond borders & the initiator of #SaveShikharji campaign @IndiaJyot Pujya Pandit MS & all our heroes- the Social media warriors, we saved our sacred Shikharji!😍 A lot more yet to go.🙏🏼 (5)
A #Jain monk from #Gujarat Munishree Ajitchandra Sagar, just 34 years of age will attempt 'Sahastravdhaan' on 1st May 2024 at NSCI Stadium, Worli, Mumbai, #Maharashtra
What is Shahastravdhaan?
Shahastra (1000)+Avdhaan (memory)
#Thread
He will be asked 1,000 questions that he will attempt answering in sequence - from first to last!
The variety of questions will include tricky Maths & Science Q&A, passages from Jain scriptures, Bhagavad Gita, quotes, poems etc. (2)
Apart from this, 15 processes will happen simultaneously around him. Like, he will have to remember the times the bell rang for a specific Avdhaan, touch of cowries to his hand or leg, touching marbles in a basket without seeing it, photo memory etc (3)
All were Brahmins & took monk initiation under Lord Mahavir & followed Jain dharma
#Thread 👇🏼
All 11 were profound scholars of philosophy. All had their own secular beliefs regarding the soul, the divine, heaven, hell, salvation, sin, virtue etc. Hence before taking initiation they solved their doubts with Lord Mahavir & on being satisfied took initiation from him (2)
11 Ganadhars & their Doubts:
1) Indrabhuti: Existence of Soul? 2) Agnibhuti: On Karma? 3) Vayubhuti: The body is Jiva or different from Jiva? 4) Vyakta: Five material elements are real or unreal? 5) Sudharmā: If Jiva will be of the same kind or different in next birth? (3)
'Shree Vardhaman Shakrastav Stotra' is a collection of 273 Adjectives that emerged spontaneously from the heart of Shakrendra (Indra) Maharaja when he comes to know of Tirthankar's birth.
Sharing some interesting Adjectives in this #Thread 👇🏼
This stotra was virtually gifted by Shakrendra to Acharya Siddhasen Divakar Surishwarji in the 5th century CE for benefit of mankind. It was lost in the passage of time & rediscovered by Shri Chinubhai Ratilal Doshi from the Ancient Gyan Bhandar in Kavi #Jain Tirth, #Gujarat
3. The word SHAKRASTAV means 'Shakra' (Shakrendra, ruler of 64 Indras of Heaven)+'Stav' (Stavan/hymns) in praise of Lord. The 273 Adjectives are divided into 11 paragraphs known as ‘Alavas’
Who laid 78000 Gold coins to buy 4 yards of land to cremate the bodies of #Sikh Guru Gobind Singh's 2 sons & his mother in 1704 CE; who were executed & denied last rites as they refused to convert into #Islam
#Thread
Seth Todarmal was born in an Oswal #Jain Shwetambar family in Punjab (exact city vary in diff sources) & his ancestors were wealthy Traders. In 1630CE, Emperor Shah Jahan promoted him to the post of Diwan-cum-Faujdar in Sirhind, Punjab. (A biopic on him was released in 2023). (2)
In 1658, as soon as Aurangzeb got the throne, he replaced all the bureaucrats with Muslims. He dismissed Diwan Todarmal & appointed Wazir Khan. Hence, Todarmalji stayed in his Jahazi Haveli at Sirhind & continued his business. (3)
#Thread on #Saraswati mata - the Goddess of Knowledge
Also known as Shrut devi/Jinvani mata in #Jainism
Oldest idol of Saraswati (132CE) with an inscription was excavated from Jain Stupa @ Kankali Tila, Mathura #UP. Donated by a Jain metal worker. She holds Jinagam & a mala (1)
10th Century idol of #Jain Saraswati Devi with Tirthankar on top from Pallu, Bikaner, #Rajasthan. Currently on display at Ajmer Museum. The iconography shows Kamandal, mala and Jinagam in her hands (2)
#Jain Saraswati dated 1010CE discovered from excavation at Bir Chhabili Tila, Fatehpur Sikri, #UttarPradesh. The idol is in Tribhanga posture with 2 Jina idols sitting on both sides at the top (3)
He was born in 1782, to Seth Amin Chand & Roopa Bai at Bombay. Amin Chand had migrated from Khambat to Bombay in 1758 at the age of 13 where he started jewellery business. There he built a griha jinalay.
#Thread #SundaySpecial
But when he died, the family was left behind in a critical financial condition. His eldest son Nemi Chand started brokerage & paid off father's debts but died young at 31. Within 5 years Motichand developed business to great heights & became a millionaire (2)
His business ventures spread far & wide. He slowly acquired a fleet of 40 ships operating from China to Bahrain. He, thus, broke the monopoly of the British & became a shipping magnate. His reputation spread to Arab countries, to Java-Sumatra, China & Sri Lanka (3)