Hyderabad|India|April'2009: Mahavir Jayanti is one of the most significant festivals of Jains. Mahavir Jayanti is the biggest Jain festival celebrated all over the world to commemorate the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira. The Jains in city to celebrate Mahavir Jayanthi, the 2508th birth anniversary of Mahavir, the 24th and the last Tirthankara of the Jains, Vardhman Mahavri, the founder of Jainism here in city on 7th April. Announcing this .Jain Seva Sangh, the Apex Body of about 50,000 Jain Community People in twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad said, to mark the occasion and celebrate the same, we will organsie wide variety of social, cultural and welfare and service activities from 5th April to 9th April.

Addressing a press conference in city on 1st April, Shri Nirmal Singhvi, Shri Navratan Gundecha President and Secretary of Jain Seva Sangh said the five day celebrations will kick start with cultural programs at Mahavir Bhavan at Feelkhana on 5th April at 7pm. We have lined up various health checkup and treatment camps such as Panchgavya, Eye Camp and Camp on Women related problems and diseases etc and others. There will be distribution of fruits, Anna Dan, Bread and Biscuits, material to physically challenged etc and others.

An exhibition on "Mahaveer on Non-Violence in Today’s World" will be held on 6th April at 11am at Salarjung Museum. Jain devotees will distribute jaggery and vegetables to cows. They will also distribute blankets, notebooks to the poor and less fortunate. April 7th will be observed as Mahavir Janma Kalyan Divas. Bhagwan Mahavir Bhavya Shobha Yatra will also be held on the day.

On the day of Mahavir Jayanthi, Jain temples are decorated with flags. In the morning the idol of Mahavira is given a ceremonial bath called the ‘abhishek’. It is then placed in a cradle and carried in a procession around the neighbourhood. The devotees make offerings of milk, rice, fruit, incense, lamps and water to the Tirthankar.

The birth anniversary of the 24th and the last Tirthankara of the Jains, Vardhman Mahavir, the founder of Jainism, is celebrated by the Jain community every year. Born a prince in 599 BC, Mahavir renounced worldly life at the age of 30 and undertook austere penance until he achieved realisation. Jains visit the sacred sites and go on pilgrimages to holy places on this day and worship Teerthankars.

The Celebrations will conclude on 9th April. Several thousands of Jains in city are expected to participate in the celebrations.