- Ashtanika Festival organised
Bhopal: The Ashtanika festival was celebrated with religious fervor in the Jain temples of Bhopal, where Indra and Indrani performed worship of Lord Siddha with Ashta Dravya. Shri Siddha Chakra Mandal Vidhan began in the presence of saints across various temples, marking the start of the spiritual observance. In the Bhanpur Jain temple, Lord Parshva Nath was worshipped with an elaborate Ashta Dravya Abhishek and a special Shanti Dhara, in the holy presence of Muni Nirveg Sagar Maharaj. A beautifully decorated mandap was set up in the temple premises to conduct the rituals.
Committee President Sandeep Jain Bansia informed that the festival commenced with a flag hoisting ceremony by Virendra Ekta Parivar. Key participants in the rituals included Ved Bharti, Indra Mena Sundari, Praveen Leena, Kuber Jitesh, Abha Dayodaya, and Maha Yagya Nayak Sangeeta Neeraj. The rituals were performed under the guidance of Savita Didi.
Muni Nirveg Sagar Maharaj emphasized that religious practices should be rooted in altruism, non-violence, compassion, environmental protection, and cultural preservation. Present on the occasion were Sandeep Jain Bansia, Dharam Chandra Jain, secretary Indra Kumar Jain Dabbu, treasurer Shripal Jain, and other members including Shekhar Jain, Pradeep Jain, and Rakesh Jain. From the women’s wing, Kavita Jain, Meenu Jain, Anita Jain, Neha Jain, and Rani Jain were also present.
