President extends greetings on Mahaveer Jayanti

President Bidya Devi Bhandari has extended her best wishes on the occasion of the 620th birth anniversary of Mahaveer Jain.  The head-of-the state has wished the entire Jain community at home and abroad happiness, peace and prosperity on the occasion.

''Mahaveer has suggested five-fold way for life: ahimsa (non-violence), satya(truth), achourya (non-stealing) ,Brhamacharya (chastity) and aparigraha(non-possession) for his followers to achieve Moksha,'' the head-of-the state said, adding that non-violence was the  true religion of every human being. 

The message of Mahaveer Jain that even a tiny creature should not be killed would inspire human beings to end conflict at home, society, nation and from the world and eventually to establish a lasting peace, the President further said.  

She went on to say that such festivals would help promote mutual goodwill, religious tolerance and the feeling of fraternity in the Nepali society characterised by religious, cultural, linguistic and geographical diversities and further strengthen the national unity. "May the festival inspire all to contribute to building a just and civilised society.''
    
Mahaveer Jain, the founder of Jainism, was born in 599 BC. The Mahaveer Jayanti is observed on the 13th day of the bright half of the month of Chait in the lunar calendar.  
 
In Nepal, people from the Vaidik, Buddhist, Jain, Sheikh communities and the Omkar family celebrate the festival.