Graduates to Software professionals to Diamond traders to Billionaires

TechnoparkToday.com >> Young Interior Designer girl Manali Rathod when renouning the worldly life and become a Jain Sadhvi at Hyderabad, many wondered, how can she do when so much of a life is ahead of her.  It is not the case of Manali alone.  There are many instances where Jain graduates, software professionals, business tycoons, diamond traders to billionaires have renounced material world, luxuries and smart phones and became monks/sadhvis.

Like Manali, a Hyderabadi youth of  B. Tech is said to be becoming a monk in Jaipur sometime later this year. So also Vikrant Suresh Vohra, who according to Motilal Rathod, father of Manali Rathod became a monk on 14th April, 2013 at a very young age of 37 years, leaving a lucrative job in USA drawing annual pay package in crores.  Today he is a Vikrant Muni stationed at Ranjangaon, near Durg in Chattisgarh.

Twenty-three-year-old Reshma of Vellore too became a Sadhvi (nun) this year in March. Mansi Jhaveri, 28 years old B.Com graduate, Monica of Coimbatore and many more girls of such age bid farewell to their regular life and took Diksha to become a Jain Sadhvis.

A 43-year-old Assam born millionaire Sushil Kumar Paharia had “renounced the world” in an effort to become a Jain monk onApril 18 this year in Jaipur.  Sushil was a director of Kanpur based Software & Website Development Firm, Dataman Computer Systems (P) Ltd and partner in other food grain firms “where he earned millions”.

Another classic example is of Atul Shah, a diamond king turned Monk now as a Shalibhadra Muni in Jodhpur, who is said to be a crorepathi in Diamond trade and was a diamond king, but, left everything and became a Monk couple of years ago at the age of 30 years. At the time of renouncing of material world his business empire was estimated at about $2 million and he renounced his multi-crore company.   Even his wife too has become a sadhvi, according to Motiall Rathod.

Atul Shah turned Shalibhadra Muni eats for one time and fasts for three days. Some times he eats Chapathi dipped in water or mixes Aata (Flour) with water and eats raw and uncooked.

Until now Professionals, Businessmen, Youth were moving away from Religion and spiritual pursuits.   But offlate more and more jains are giving away everything at a very young, throwing away their jobs, lucrative businesses and plunging into spiritual paths.

At just 24 years, a Graduate in Commerce, Diploma in Architecture and Interior Designing, coming from a well to do family, Manali Rathod shuns all worldly comforts, chooses a very hard path for rest of her life. Opts to become a Jain Sadhvi! From7th October, she will lead a different life. A life not many would like to lead, a life that of a Jain Sadhvi. She will not take bath or brush her teeth, will never wear a footwear in her life. Can never go to her house nor will have any relatives. She will not possess any money nor valuables and will have to beg for food for rest of her life.  She will sleep on wooden planks or wooden cot, just with a mat on it remaining part of her life.

It is both a sad and happy occasion. Sad because Manali chose a hard path, happy because at age when she was to enjoy her life, she is becoming a monk to help others, reacted a 23 years old Priya Gandhi, a B.Sc graduate from Malakpet in Hyderabad, who gathered to witness the process of Sadvi making.

Neha Bafna, a 22 years old B.Com student of the city said, I can’t imagine a girl of my age take such a tough decision to lead a life of a Jain Sadhvi for rest of her life. Though it is tough, but, I am sure, Manali took this decision knowingly well. We are proud of her. She is an inspiration for all of us, said Neha.

Is this a new trend? Why many professionals, youth and business tycoons are pursuing spiritual pursuits while there is so much life ahead of them? When asked Manali Rathod, the Sadhvi-to-be, said for “Aatma kalyan” (spiritual wellbeing).

According leaders in Jain community, every year nearly 2,000 people from the Jain community take diksha in India. Today India has about 14000 monks off which 10,000 are Sadhvis(Female Monks) and 4,000 are Monks(Male).  Women score over men in renouncing worldly possession to become Sadhvis.

What is very hard to believe is that Manali will have to pluck her hair and remove them manually twice in a year. Plucking them strand by strand, hours together to achieve a completely bare scalp. Though painful, sometimes excruciatingly painful but must do it willingly as a form of penance. Unlike in Tirupati, hair is not razed off in one smooth sweep; it is plucked out, strand by strand. Though painful she has to accept smilingly.

Those professionals, youth, business tycoons who until now are far away from religion are pursuing spiritual pursuits.