As the Jain festival of Chaturmas begins, 840 devotees from Ahmedabad have taken part in a remarkable spiritual practice — fasting continuously for 30 days — setting a new record for the city.
According to a media report, this group fast, called ‘Masakshaman Tapascharya’, will conclude on August 13 with a special ceremony to honour the participants, where they will be felicitated with garlands.The group includes people from all walks of life — 30 children aged 11 to 14, youth, professionals like doctors and chartered accountants, and even an 84-year-old devotee. While most have fasted for 30 days, some have gone much further: one has completed 180 days of fasting, and another has fasted for 108 days. Several others have observed extended fasts of 70, 50, and 45 days.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajratansurishwar Maharaj said, “We are conducting this mass fasting across various cities. This is our ninth such programme during Chaturmas, and Ahmedabad has seen the highest number of participants.”After the felicitation event on August 13, a grand rally will be held on August 14, starting from Vasna and heading to the Riverfront with a decorative procession.
The celebrations will end with a special event called Dharm Suryoday on August 15 at the Riverfront, where all the fasting devotees will gather.