Editor Aparigraha Jain
Editor Carla Geerdes
Sadhvishree Nirvanshree delivering discourse on Samvatsari day
On Samvatsari, Sadhvishree Nirvanshree started her discourse at 8:00 am non-stop until 4:00 pm. She started her talk by presenting a song by Gurudev Tulsi where the different types of lay followers are described - those who visit monks or nuns daily (Sadia), those who visit them in the month of Bhavda or during Paryushan (Bhadiya) and those who come once a year on Samvatsari (Kadia). The importance of Paryushan as a great spiritual festival is explained in this song as well, mainly the thought of forgiving and forgetting to continue life unburdened. Then Sadhvishree told many incidents of Lord Mahavira's Sadhana time of 12 years, as the poisionous snake Chandkoshik become calm in front of Lord Mahavira's fearlessness. Then she described the life of Chandanbala and Lord Mahavira's vow to break his fast only, when some legumes were offered by a princess with tears in her eyes to him, conditions Chandanbala was fulfilling.
Four Sadhvishrees doing Pratikraman
Sadhvi Dr. Yogkshem Prabhaji delivering her Samvatsari lecture
Sadhvi Dr. Yogkshem Prabhaji's lecture was on those leading Acharyas following directly to Lord Mahavira, including Sudharma and Jambu. Sadhvi Lavnya Prabhaji and Sadhvi Kundan Yashaji also gave insights into the lives of leading Acharyas. Sadhvi Mudit Prabhaji discussed the lives of Terapanth Acharyas, starting from Acharya Bhikshu. Sadhvi Kundan Yashaji gave another lecture on the lives of 8 Sadhvi Pramukhajis, starting from Sardar Sati to actual Sadhvi Pramukha Kanak Prabhaji.
On Samvatsari, 415 people came to practise Paushad:
Ladies in Paushad
Gents in Paushad
Other Paryushan highlights in Kolkatta:
- Non-stop Jap of Namaskar Mahamantra during all 8 days of paryushan; ladies took part in the morning, gents at night
- In the evening, collective Pratikraman at Mahasabha Bahvan with 400 to 600 ladies participating, and - surprisingly! first time in Kolkatta - 200 to 250 gents
- 80 children aged between 3 to 8 held fast for one day
- Performance by Gyanshala children and Kanya Mandal presenting the virtue of chastity on 16 Mahasati as described in Jain tradition
Days of fast
| Days of Fast | Participants |
| 1 | thousands |
| 2 | hundreds |
| 3 | 1000 |
| 4,5,6 | 50 |
| 7 | 17 |
| 8 | 108 |
| 9 | 37 |
| 10 | 7 |
| 11 | 21 |
| 12 | 1 |
| 14 | 1 |
| 15 | 9 |
| 16 | 3 |
On the day following Samvatsari, all participants exchanged pardon Khamat Khamana from 6:00 am.