Moodabidri (Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka), October 21, 2012: On the occasion of Jeevadayashtami, special pooja have been organised at all the Jain temples in Moodabidri on October 22, 2012. As a part of the programme His Holiness Swasti Sri Charukeerthi Bhattarakha Swamiji, the pontiff of Moodabidri Jain Mutt will visit all the 18 Jain temples at Moodabidri from 6.30 am onwards. More than 10,000 people from in and around Moodabidri are expected to visit Moodabidri on this occasion. Further it can be recalled here that since time immemorial on this day of Jeevadayashtami as a tradition every year special pooja has been organised at all the Jain temples at Moodabidri to commomerate Jeevadayashtami.
Gamaka Vachana – As a part of the programme the ‘Gamaka Vachana’ (chanting in Gamaka style – Gamaka is a folklore style of chanting literary works in Kannada) of selected verses from Janna’s ‘Yashodhara Charite’ (a 13th century Jaina epic in Kannada depicting ahimsa) by Smt Gangamma Keshavamurthy of Bangalore has been organised from 10.30-11.30 am at Sri Jain Mutt, Moodabidri in the presence of sri Charukeerthi Swamiji. Folowing this the book “Jeevadayashtami Nompiya Mahime” published by Dhavalatraya trust will be released.
Religious Gathering – Sri Charukeerthi Swamiji will inaugurate & deliver the religious discourse at the programme. Moodabidri MLA Sri K Abhayachandra Jain, ‘Muda’ president Sri M.Bahubali Prasad, Pattanashetty Sri Sudesh Kumar & Sri A.Dinesh Kumar will be the chief guests.
About Jeevadayashtami – During the times of 20th Tirthankara of Jainism, Lord Munisuvrata as a part of the Navaratri celebrations lot of animal sacrifice was practiced on the ashtamai day and the animals were offered to Goddess Durga as bali. This day was called as Durgashtami. This act of animal sacrifice was stopped by Lord Munisuvrata and special prayers were offered. This practice of offering special prayers to the animals & other living beings (Jeeva/Jeevi) and showing Daya (compassion) on the Shukla paksha ashtami day in the month of Karthika is called as Jeevadayashtami. – Jain Heritage Centres News Service