Sushil Choraria
Acharyashree Mahashraman Ji enters in RISHRA, the border town of Greater Kolkata with Ahimsa Yatra
Rishra (Hooghly, West Bengal): 4th June2017
Acharya Mahashramanji, the 11th Head of Jain Shwetamber Terapanth Sect reached RISHRA on 4th June 2017 in course of his Ahimsa Yatra which is propagating the values of Harmony amongst people, Morality and de-addiction amongst the masses. Thousands of lay followers joined the days on foot journey from Shree Ganesh Steels Pvt. Ltd of Sri Mahavirlal Baid and others of Serampore. Thousands of devotees thus witnessed the Ahimsa Yatra which reached Hastings Jute Mills Compound, Rishra of Sri Sanjay Kajaria. At the entrance Acharyashree was welcomed with the gathering chanting - “Jai Jai Jyoti Charan - Jai Jai Mahashraman”. the Ahimsa Yatra was encouraging for people of all class and creed. In the route welcome gates were made to greet the reverend guru. Amidst the songs and slogans of Ahimsa Yatra, Acharyashree reached Hastings Jute Mill located on banks of river Hooghly with a large procession and thus entered the Greater Kolkata Boundary.
The ahimsa Yatra which began from the bank of Yamuna river, Delhi reached the bank of Hooghly (Ganges) River at Rishra in outer Kolkata. Thus Acharya Shri Mahashraman Ji along with his Dhaval sena let his footprints engraved on the soil of Hastings Jute Mill, Rishra, Hooghly on 4th June, 2017. Rishra is known as “Rishav Nagar” and it is also known as “Gateway of Kolkata”. Sea of devotees from across the Greater Kolkata had come to welcome Gurudev and seek his blessings. Entire 20,000 S. Ft. pandal was filled with devotees.
A welcome and Abhinandan program was organised at the Mills compound. The abhinandan program started with blessing of Sadhvi Pramukhashri and Mukhya Niyojika ji. Acharyashree was welcomed and greeted by Sri Kamal Dugar (President of Acharya Mahashraman Prawas Vyavastha Samiti-2017 Kolkata) and other office bearers of AMPVS. The Mahila Mandal members led by President Smt. Pramila Bhansali (President- Rishra Mahila Mandal) and Kanya Mandal welcomed His Holiness with symbols of Ashtmangal and Mangal Bhawana and also expressed their holiest wishes for the success of the forthcoming chaturmas at Kolkata.
Acharya shree in his speech told everyone to stay away from anger, jealousy & attachments. He said that the root cause to continue the birth and death cycle is attachment and jealousy. To attain and get Absolute Knowledge (Kewal Gyan) one need to move towards Veetaraga (A state in which Anger, Deceit, Pride and Greed are over). He cited the example of mirror and said to see one’s face one need a fixed and unmoving mirror, which should be clean and uncovered. But then again one needs eye to see the face through such mirror. A blind can not see, however good the mirror may be. One needs the intellect and intuition to move ahead.
Sadhvi Pramukha Sri Kanak Prabha Ji welcomed His Holiness at her birth soil. She said that arrival of Gurudev here is an unparallel incident of history. Acharya Tulsi was the first Acharya of Jain Swetamber Terapanth to come to Bengal and that decision of his Journey was taken by him in 1957 A.D. in Sujangarh chaturmas at Rajasthan.
Sadhvi Sashi Prabha Ji said that Acharyashri Mahashramanji has followed the words of Acharya Mahapragyaji by his arrival at Rishra. Kolkata arrival will complete the wishes of Acharya mahapragya who had wished Acharya Mahashramanji to travel to Purvanchal area of the India. Acharyashri is giving the message of world peace to the masses. Sadhvi Gupti Prabhaji, Sadhvi Sunanda Shree Ji, Sadhvi Kunthu Shree Ji, Sadhvi Piyush Prabha Ji and fellow Sadhvis also expressed their thoughts and welcomed Acharyashree and expressed their sense of gratitude towards the reverend Guru. In the pious presence of Acharya Shree, kids of Gyaan shala of Rishra presented a welcome song and Rishra Mahila Mandal sung a welcome gitika(song) which was well appreciated by everyone. Incidentally, Sadhvi Kunthu Shree Ji who arrived in Kolkata from Vishakhapattanam had darshan of His Holiness after 7 years and 4 months during which the group travelled 9895 Kilometres. Similarly, Sadhvi Piyush Prabha Ji has travelled about 8500 Kilometres and had darshan of Gurudev after 6 Years 3 Months and 6 Days during which she and her group of Sadhvis travelled through 9 states and one Union Territory - Puducherry.
Shri P.R.Surana (Keshrichand Surana), President of Rishra Jain Swetambar Terapanthi Sabha gave his welcome note. Hundreds of lay followers from Rishra and surrounding areas accepted the vows of Samyaktwa Diksha. Shri Sanjay Kajaria, Chairman of Hastings Jute Mill expressed his views and took blessings of Gurudev. He said that Gurudev could stay more in Hastings Jute Mill and preach its worker to stay away from taking tobacco and other addictions. Sri Vijay Mishra, chairman of Rishra Municipality welcomed Acharyashree and Ahimsa Yatra and spoke on behalf of the people of Rishra. Shri Pradip Kundalia, former Secretary of South Kolkata Sabha, Smt Suraj Bardia- Secretary of Prawas Vyavastha Samiti and Shri Vijay Sancheti, secretary of Rishra Sabha also expressed their views.
Shri Ashok Turakhia of Jain Minority Commission, MP of Hooghly district, Sri Ashok Purohit-Vice chairman of EIRC of ICSI, Eminent Jain Scholar Sri Srichand Choraria, Sri Sajjan Sharma (Associate director of E & Y) Smt. Manju Prem Bhandari-Vice President of All India Jain Sthanakwasi conference), Dr. G. S. Pipara (East Zone President of all India Jain Conference) etc were among the various other dignitaries present.
Many office bearers of local Sanghiya Sansthas of Greater Kolkata, Central institutions of Terapanth, Acharya Shree Mahashraman Prawas Vyawastha Samiti, Sri Bane Chand Malu (Member -Teprapanth Vikash Parishad),Sri Bhanwarlal Singhi, Sri Moolchand Daga, Sri Noratnmal Surana Advocate, Sri Tejkaran Bothra(President- Kolkata Sabha), Sri Bhanwarlal Baid (Chief of Trust Board - Kolkata Sabha), Past Presidents of Kolkata Sabha-Sri Jawarimal Bengani (Founder President), Sri Kanhaiyalal Patawari, Sri Bhojraj Baid, Sri Mahal Chand Bhansali, Sri Amarchand Dugar, Sri Jawarilal Nahata (IPP - Kolkata Sabha), Sri Ratan Dugar (Former President- ABHATEYUP), Sri B. C. Pugalia (President- SJST Vidyalaya), Sri P. K.Raijada (Chief Trustee-SJST Vidyalaya), Sri Bhupendra Samsukha (President- Purvanchal Sabha), Sri Vijay Singh Choraria (President- South Kolkata Sabha), Sri Shikharchand Lunawat (President- South Howrah) Sri Vijay Kumar Choraria (Founder Trustee- South Howrah Sabha), Sri Sushil Jain Choraria (Former Secretary- Kolkata Sabha), Sri Ramesh Jain (Former Sangathan Mantri- Kolkata Sabha), Sri Sushil Kumar Chopra(former president- SJST Sabha, Kolkata Purvanchal), Sri Pratap Dugar (Former President - Teyup), Sri Raj Kumar Kothari (President- TPF Kolkata), Sri Rakesh Singhi (Secretary - TPF Kolkata), Sri laxmipat Bafna, Sri Bajrang Daga, Sri Indrajmal Nahata, Sri Jaichandlal Maloo, Past presidents of Rishra Sabha- Sri Nemichandji Ghorawat, Sri Suresh Ghorawat, Sri Sanjay Bhansali, etc. and thousands of lay followers were present in the Abhinandan programme.
Fine arrangements were made by Rishra Sabha to support AMPVS with the involvement and active participation of local Mahila Mandal. Office bearers and members of Sabha and Mahila Mandal, Terapanth Professional Forum and Teyup Kolkata played active role, which made the day’s celebration a historical one, both in numbers of Sadhu - Sadhvis and also the lay followers present at Rishra.
Free medical camp through Acharya Tulsi Mahapragya Mobile Medical Van was organised by Terapanth Professional Forum which was well appreciated by everyone.
The morning discourse and abhinandan programme ended with a vote of thanks by Shri Rajesh Ghorawat. As his concluding remarks he prayed to Acharyshree and entire sadhus & sadhvis by a quote:
“Quote”
Aap Darakhton se mein fal kuch yun kahta hun,
ki mein chota hun, kachha hun, dudh muha bachha hun,
Bada na samajhna mujhe,Alag na karna apni saakhon se,
Sine se laga hun, laga rahun, Yahin accha hun.
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