HereNow4U - Living Jainism Tour 2006 - 07.02 Jaipur (2) Visit To Town

27th November, 09:00 - 11:00

City Tour with our friends Sanjeev and Shivani Bothra by car; Chattri (Samadhi memorial) of 4th Terapanth Acharya, Acharyashree Jeetmalji (Jayacharyashri) on Ram Niwas Bagh, busy main street in Jaipur

Jai Acharya Chatri

When our friends Sanjeev and Shivani Bothra came to Balwantji and Premji Mehta’s home, we did not figure out what our four friends’ proposal to make a short visit to town has to do with spirituality. On a rather busy main street, we stopped and got out of the car. In front of us, the Jain flag was hissed, indicating a holy location.

In the morning, we woke up refreshed and had a nice breakfast with Balwantji and Premji. The first surprise was that Balwantji had been to Berlin about 30 years ago. He remembered many details of his visit and even was gifted a typewriter made in Germany. Unfortunately, the company does not exist anymore, but still is well known for its quality products among typewriter users of 20th century.

Shivani and Sanjeev arrived with Mrs. Bothra, Sanjeev’s grandma. We had met her the day before at the Bothra family’s home. She is aged 81, gets up at 04:30 every morning, and starts her day with meditation and yoga exercises. Premji and Mrs. Bothra immediately got along with each other and enjoyed discussion on what was planned in the course of the day. Mrs. Bothra would stay with Balwantji and Premji and join us after visit to town. Balwantji was not so mobile as he desired, as his knee surgery in Tagore Hospital was not long ago.

After meeting point and itinerary were discussed in depth, we started to Jaipur town.

Gate to Old City; Main street in Old City

City Tour with our friends Sanjeev and Shivani Bothra by car; Vidhan Sabha, State Assembly

Vidhan Sabha, State Assembly

We admired buildings and streets of ‘Pink City’ and took photos from inside the car.

We suddenly stopped in Ram Niwas Bagh, busy main street in the centre of the town, and Sanjeev said, “Here is Chattri (Samadhi memorial) of 4th Terapanth Acharya, Acharyashree Jeetmalji (Jayacharya Shri).” Sanjeev and Shivani told the legend around this place to us: Some years ago, plans came up to enlarge Ram Niwas Bagh, starting at Chattri (Samadhi memorial) of 4th Terapanth Acharya, Acharyashree Jeetmalji (Jayacharya Shri), which had been erected after a long time of queries and demands to permit the same. For Terapanth followers this location always had been a pilgrimage site. Formerly, it was not situated in the centre of town, but as town had broadened, it now was. After measuring of the side, engineers told that there was enough space for new construction of main street, but not enough space to leave Samadhi memorial untouched. When Terapanthi followers urged city administration to repeat measuring, the latter agreed finally and was astonished that by second mesuring it was enough space for both, construction work and Samadhi memorial. They admitted an error and left Samadhi memorial untouched. Many people still speak of miraculous circumstances when they recall the chain of events.

While Sanjeev and Shivani told the story to Karuna, a businessman came near and circulated the memorial several times while murmuring some prayer. He afterwards explained that this would be a day to decide important business affairs, and it has become his habit in such situations to come to the Acharyashree’s Samadhi memorial. When we asked him if it helps, he vividly acclaimed.

Balwantji meanwhile arrived with the ladies, and it was time to start for next activity.