Editor Carla Geerdes
One day, before the first official Puja was held in the temple in presence of the Pratimas, the day of Lord Mahavira's renunciation was performed in a big symbolic procession, headed by youngsters with big sounding drums.
During the procession, coins bound into handkerchiefs, were thrown to the spectators, 1600 coins of one pound had been given to the people that day. To catch one of the little packages is seen as auspicious sign.
This gesture symbolises Lord Mahavira's renunciation from material values and social status.
Shree Chitrabhanuji (middle) and his spiritual companion Pramodhaji (left) are seen in front of the car with editor Karuna Jain (right), where Lord Mahavira's ‘parents' are sitting.
The symbolic parents of Lord Mahavira were sitting in a flower-decorated open car, while ‘Queen Trishala' was holding a statue of her ‘son' in her hands.
The couple, performing Lord Mahavira's parents, reported that they had really felt blessed and different from normal in those moments, when they were the parents of Lord Mahavira.
They had paid a huge amount of money for this experience.
Women asking for donations accompanied the procession.
The plates for the money where decorated with little statues of Lord Mahavira, rice corns, and sweets.
When Lord Mahavira's 'parents' would leave the car, they will trample on the rice corns and sweets on the plank, which symbolises that Lord Mahavira's relationship with material and worldly matters is broken.
Meanwhile, the activities continued in the main tent where everybody enjoyed the drums, mantras, and religious dance.
When the car was left,
the symbolic act of renunciation and distributing wealth was complete.
Lord Mahavira's ‘parents' were in the centre of the cycle, which was formed by those reciting mantras and performing religious dances.