Dr. Manju Nahata
(9th Acharya of Jain Swetambar Terapanth sect)
A Mural Painting by Dr. Manju Nahata
Size: 56 feet x 4 feet Base: Cloth mounted on the board Medium: Tempera, Earth colours
PADA-VISARJAN
(Panel 6)
[ large size ]
In the nether part of the panel main entrance of Jain Vishva Bharti, Ladnun, is drawn and at the right end of the entrance is shown a fruit tree which symbolises fruitfulness of purpose for which Vishva Bharti was founded.
The logo of Jain Vishva Bharti Institute (Deemed University) is drawn in brown colour. Established in 1991, it is situated in Jain Vishva Bharti, Ladnun. These two institutions are the great achievements of Acharya Tulsi’s life.
We can see a big pot, famously known as ‘Amrit Kalash’, appearing between the logo and the main entrance as referred to above. This big Kalash was made not for donations to be inserted into it, but for what is known as ‘vow-notes’, declaring the person’s vow to be righteous in every respect. The Amrita Kalash was a feature to mark the auspicious occasion of Acharya Tulsi’s completion of 50 years of leadership of Terapanth sect (1986) known as ‘Amrit Mahotsava’,
On 9th september 1989, for the first time in the sect Acharya Tulsi created two new posts ‘Mahashraman’ and ‘Mahashramani’ and these two posts were respectively given to Muni Mudit and Sadhvi Pramukha Kanakprabha. In the same year ‘Jain jivan shaili’ (The Jain style of living) was introduced and above all, Acharya Tulsi celebrated the year 1989 as ‘Yogakshema Varsha (keeping knowledge ever expanding).
Finally, in the year 1995 Acharya Tulsi renounced his Acharya pada, handing it over to his successor, Yuvacharya Mahapragya, chanting a mantra ‘chandesu nimmalayara aichchesu ahiyam payasayara sagarvar gambhira siddha siddhim mam dishantu’. The sun and the moon have been painted in yellow and they are placed between the Acharya and his disciple-successor. The entire episode is presented in light blue the colour of sea. The Acharya’s blessings ‘Arogga bohilabham samahivarmuttam dintu’ appear at the end of the episode.
Along with renouncing his Acharya pada, Acharya Tulsi also showers blessings on Yuvacharya Mahapragya. This is imaginatively treated with the drawing of rain clouds that bring fresh showers on earth.
At the end of the panel Acharya Tulsi is shown sitting in a relaxed manner and a line appears not only before his face but on his person also, as if he is very much a part of it. The line reads: ‘Hey Prabho! yah Terapanth’. He is now called Ganadhipati by all. I have made an impression of his the then signature.
The banyan tree that is shown in all its hugeness is expressive of Acharya Tulsi’s glorious achievement in spreading the Terapanth sangha far and wide. One of his songs contains this line ‘Sudhare vyakti, samaj vyakti se rashtra swayam sudharega’, a line that, in short, says much.