Devendra Shah
Munishree Jinchandraji Maharaj
The Oshwal Association of UK's North West Area celebrated the eight days of Paryushan Festival from 22nd to 29th August 2006 in Harrow, Middlesex, UK. This year's celebration was held under the guidance of Munishree Jinchandraji Maharaj (Bandhu Triputi) from Shantiniketan, Tithal, Gujarat. He is one out of three brothers who all have taken Diksha.
Munishree Jinchandraji Maharaj had come from Shantiniketan in Tithal, Gujarat, India, to celebrate Paryushan 2006 in London. The Oshwal Association of UK's North West Area had invited Munishree for the celebration. Munishree had taken Diksha at the age of eight and has widely travelled in many countries, where he has been invited to celebrate various Jain occasions.
For the eight days of Paryushan In North West London, he held discourses daily in the morning and, after Pratikraman, in the evening. The average number of people attending each session was over 1000, reaching to over 1500 on the weekend and Bank Holiday.
In his morning discourses, Munishree covered subjects as Spirit Of Paryushan, Jivdaya, compassion for all living beings, Sadharmik Bhakti, Kalpasutra, Prabhu Bhakti, Uvasagaram Sutra, Padmavati Devi Mantra And Essence Of Savantsari Pratikarman. The evening discourses covered Aradhnas on Navkar Mantra, Logus Sutra, Gautam Swami Mantra, Sarasvati Mantra, Mahavir Na Janma (Birth) Ni Ujvani (Celebrations), Parasvnath Mantra and Kshampna.
52 people observed fast during all eight days. They were honoured by the audience and the invited dignitaries, including the Mayor of Harrow.
Details of the programme can be found on the Oshwal website under
http://www.oshwal.org/oshwaluk/NewSite/Pages/Areas/nw/2006/English%20Paryushan2006.pdf
Many photographs were taken by the author Devendra Shah and are available under
http://www.oshwaluk/NewSite/Pages/Areas/northwest.htm
Devendra Shah, author of this article (l) with Munishree Jinchandraji Maharaj (m) and a representative of the Oshwal Association UK