A Jain hospital exclusively for birds

By D.N.Jha

THE JAINS, who constitute hardly one per cent of the country’s population, continue to adhere to the tenets of their religion. The bird hospital in Chandini Chowk is just one example of the lofty principles that they are devoted to. It also reflects their belief in freedom of all living beings, no matter how small or insignificant they are.

The Jain Bird Hospital

A sick parrot in the hospital

Sick pigeons in the hospital

Next to Chandni Chowk, right across the Red Fort, is Digambar Jain temple. In the same complex is a unique and interesting hospital situated, where only birds are admitted.
Run by legendary Aggarwal Digambar Jain panchayat, Delhi, the hospital was founded in 1956 on the Jain principle of aversion to killing. The hospital has separate wards in form of cages for different species of birds like sparrows, parrots, domestic fowls and pigeons. It also has a research laboratory and even an intensive care unit for its serious patients.

The people, especially the Jain merchants of the area, bring the birds that are usually wounded by ceiling fans or by other means for treatments. The hospital admits a maximum of 60 injured birds per day. The birds are then treated, bathed and are given nutritious diet so that it recover soon. It is eventually released, especially on Saturdays, after it is declared fit and healthy.

The interesting thing about the hospital is that they reluctantly and in a very special case, treat the non-vegetarian birds. Visitors can also see flocks of birds on the roof of the hospital. Though most of the birds are those that have been treated here, but who knows there are some visitors too for its respective patients!

Since it is a charitable hospital, visitors are expected to donate some money.

Transported in plastic bags or clasped between hands, 30 to 40 birds arrive in a day. In summers, the birds are often dehydrated; in winters, it suffers from pneumonia. Whether wounded by a passing auto-rickshaw or a whirling ceiling fan, the injured fowls arrive at the Charity Birds Hospital inside the Digambara Jain Temple compound, seeking a remedy for everything from pigeon pox to the common cold. One thing is for sure that this is the only hospital of its kind: The patients never admit themselves.

Opposite the historic Red Fort and situated amidst the noise and chaos of Chandni Chowk, the three-storey hospital, founded in 1956, treats nearly 30,000 birds every year. The birds are first held in the intensive care unit and are eventually transferred to the general wards, where it regain its wings and eventually fly off.

Fed, a vegetarian diet of bread and cheese, treatments are free of cost and funded by Jain donations. The hospital separates its vegetarian patients from its non-vegetarian counterparts. Carnivorous predators such as eagles, hawks and falcons are housed exclusively on the first floor. Every Saturday, a section of the roof is opened and the recovered birds fly away. The hospital follows a central tenet of Jainism – a commitment towards enabling the freedom of all living beings, no matter how small or insignificant it is. And once the birds are admitted, those are never returned to its owners for fear of likely confinement.

“People bring the birds here, Jain or not,” explained veterinarian Dr Vijay Kumar, who has worked at the hospital for nine years, who is not a Jain himself, quickly mentioned that he is a vegetarian. One of India’s smallest religious communities that comprises approximately one per cent of India’s one billion people, Jains are the first and foremost vegetarians.

“Just like us, a pigeon will never eat another animal’s meat. Even if it is very hungry,” said manager, Kamal Kishore Jain, as he describes the folk-art mural in the hospital’s second-floor entrance. It shows a scene from a famous Jain and Buddhist tale: A king, whose hand and foot have been cut off, is pictured next to a scale that balances his bleeding foot and hand on one side and a bird on the other. The mural reads: “Brave and merciful king put pieces of his own flesh and finally, his whole life in exchange to save a pigeon from becoming the prey of a hawk.”

Walking barefoot through the bird hospital premises, two words immediately came to mind, ’bird flu’. Dr Kumar assured, “Since the bird flu, we have taken extra precautions and care with migratory birds.”

Whenever you enter the Chandni Chowk area, you cannot miss seeing the charity bird’s hospital located within the precincts of a temple. Timings: Open: 8 am to 8 pm.

Ashima Jain is IAS Topper

Ashima Jain celebrating with her family at her house in Karol Bagh in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: One of the lanes in Karol Bagh has remained hushed for the past one-and-a-half years. Even the children there have not come out to play. All of them understood that inside a house on that lane, Ashima Jain was studying day and night to realise her dream of becoming an IAS officer and she shouldn't be disturbed by any noise.

On Saturday, however, house and lane alike were bustling with celebrations. Twenty-five-year-old Ashima had topped the UPSC exam in Delhi and was first among the women who appeared for the exam in the country. Ashima ranked seventh in the results announced by the UPSC late on Friday evening.

"I haven't even looked at the results myself. We saw my name flashing on the television on Friday evening and since then, friends and relatives have been pouring in to congratulate me. I have dreamt of becoming an IAS officer since childhood and now I am one," said Ashima, while her family distributed burfis to the visitors.

A gold medalist in economics from Delhi School of Economics, Ashima worked as a business analyst with American Express for over a year. She shunned an annual package of Rs 6 lakh to start preparing for her dream to become a civil servant in the country. They choice paid off— she cleared the UPSC exam in the first attempt.

"My daughter lived in Japan, Australia and Singapore when she was working. She had been living a comfortable life but nothing could stop her from following her dream of becoming an IAS officer," said Ashima's father N K Jain, who is a gazetted officer.

Ashima recalls cutting off from the outer world and studying for over 15 hours a day. She says it was like a self-imposed imprisonment.

Her mother, Vaneeta Jain said: "We used to wake her up at 4.30 am while on our way out for a morning walk. She started studying around 4.45 am and went on till 11 pm at night. Sometimes, my heart went out to her. She had stopped meeting anyone or going out for parties. For the last two weeks before the exam, she could not eat anything because of tension and remained on a liquid diet."

Even her grandmother, who lives on the ground floor of the house, had to talk to Ashima, who was studying in her room on the first floor, on the phone.

Ashima attributes her success to her family and the teachers at her IAS coaching institute. She graduated in economics from Sri Ram College of Commerce and completed her postgraduation in economics in 2005. She hasalso trained in Indian classical music for 10 years.

"Before becoming an IAS officer, I want to relax and enjoy. My dad is throwing a huge party next week," said Ashima.

neha.pushkarna@timesgroup.com

Milk of human kindness awaited

S Sujatha

COIMBATORE: THE State’s best goshala seeks government help to protect cows which were rescued on the way to slaughter houses in Kerala.

The ghosala situated in 40 acres at Myleripalayam Pirivu, Pollachi Main Road, houses 790 cattle with predominantly 60 per cent cows and 40 percent buffaloes. The goshala is run by Coimbatore Animal Welfare Society (CAWS). Goshala is mainly run to save cattle and the expenditure is met by public and animal lovers’ contribution, according to CAWS preident Mahaveer Jain.

"Our basic needs are finance, infrastructure and grazing lands.We have 21 permanent and 2 temporary sheds now. We need at least 10 more," he added.He said the per day expenditure of goshala was around Rs 25,000.Currently two loads of fodder is required everyday, said Gautham Chand Srisrimal, Secretary of the society.

He added that when they had put forth their requests to the Animal Husbandry Department , we were told that there was no scheme for goshala in the state.“We have also given petitions to the district collector requesting for free electricity, grazing lands and subsidized fodder from government farm lands,’’ he said. It is to be noted that the Coimbatore goshala won the best goshala award in the state at the recent all India Conference on glory of cow organised by the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam.

Jain monk walks barefoot across India to reform the men

By Santanu Barad

Jain Monk Prasanna Sagarji Maharaj takes rest at Raghunathpur Village near Berhampur during his Ahimsa Sanskar Padyatra on bare foot to reform men.

Berhampur (Orissa): The monks at normal times live in the wood and pray for the welfare of the human civilization. However, there are few monks like Prasanna Sagarji Maharaj, who lives among the people to reform the men and their attitude by restoring degradation in morality owing to modern living habits.

Prasanna Sagar was born in the Chatarpur region of present Madhya Pradesh left the home at the age of 19 years and became a Digambar Jain monk.

Since then, Prasannaji has been walking bare foot across the country to bring a reform in the men by changing theie lifestyle and the attitude that ought to be in the human being for the development and welfare of the human civilization.

Prasannaji was recently at Berhampur during his tour and stayed for a night at the Raghunathpur village.

During his tour in last 20 years, he covered at least 25,000 kilometers in bare and left a kind of indefinable mark in the minds of the people he met.

As per the tradition of the Digambar section of the Jain, the monk walks bare foot, wears no cloths and remains in bare body throughout the year. He takes food or water only once in a day, maintains silent in the night, uses no vehicle, uses no metal either, pulls the hair of the head by hand only.

Moreover, he never uses any kind comfortable things, sleeps on the bare floor, never takes bath and always carries a Jhadi made of peacock's feather for the security of lives and holds a pot for the purification of the body.

To the astonishment of many people present at the village, Prasannaji broke his silent in that evening before this correspondent, though in the evenings he remains silent as per the Jain tradition.

When asked, he said, "when a monk speaks few people listens, but when a scribe writes the message reaches among the masses. Hence, the journalists should write for the people that could bring a reform in the society by creating awareness".

Speaking about the aims of his Ahimsa Sanskar Padyatra, he said that with each passing day, the men are loosing their moral characters, idealism are being vanished and human attitudes are being changing. So, he felt the need of propagating the people about the reforms in themselves by changing the attitude, spreading love and peace in the society.

Putting emphasis on welfare of the human being and high moral value, Prasannaji said putting aside one’s selfishness; the men should work for the betterment of the society in order to revive the rich social and cultural heritage of the country.

Meat sellers protest abattoir shutdown during Jain festival

By: Neha Arha

Mumbai, May 15 The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s decision to shut down all city slaughterhouses during the Jain festival of Paryushan has run into opposition from meat sellers. The Brihanmumbai Hindu Khatik Samaj Sanghatna, an association of meat sellers, has decided to observe a dharna on Wednesday at Azad Maidan.

The Paryushan will be observed between August 27 and September 3 this year. Those participating in the dharna will have their mouths taped and hands tied.

The BMC, at a general body meeting of the elected representatives on April 7, decided shut down all abattoirs during the nine-day Jain festival. According to the protestors, the worst hit will be the owners and the workers of the slaughterhouses.

According to the association, there are around 1,500 BMC-owned and licensed shops selling meat in Mumbai apart from illegal ones in and around suburbs. They employ over 25,000 daily-wage workers who earn a meagre Rs 100-Rs 150 per day. The closing of the slaughterhouses for nine days would mean no income for these workers for those nine days, the association said.
Sixty-five-year-old Maltibai Eknath Kothmere, a widow, earns her livelihood in the form of rent from the slaughter shop her husband had left her. Seated in her tiny one-room house, she complained: “No money means no food. We are somehow managing with the little income that we get as rent, but now with the BMC’s resolution, I do not know how we will survive for those nine days.”

Jagannath Ghodke, 75, another slaughterhouse owner, added: “Slaughterhouses, big or small, employ most of their workers on daily wages. Closing a slaughterhouse even for a day would mean no income in a house for that day. How can the municipality be so insensitive to the needs of so many people considering that we don't have any alternate source of income?”

Ratnakar R Lad, general secretary of the Maharashtra Rajya Hindu Khatik Samaj Sanghatna, said, “If the municipality agrees to the demands of one community while completely ignoring the needs of the other, then it’s quite possible that others may also demand the same in the future. We are not against the closure of these abattoirs for a day or two. But shutting them down for such a long duration will not only disrupt our profession but also related professions.”

Bhalchandra Gaikwad, the general secretary of the Mutton Dealers’ Association, said: “Around 25,000 goats are imported weekly from regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The whole process includes animal breeders, transport, cleaners and helpers in the slaughterhouses. The health and leather industry gets its regular work from the process of slaughtering. Shutting abattoirs will mean a huge financial loss to all. We will not hesitate moving the Supreme Court if the BMC turns a deaf ear.”

Dilip Patel, the BJP corporator who initiated the proposal to keep slaughterhouses closed during the nine-day period, said: “We have always respected and cared for the sentiments of the minorities and Jains are a minority. We have just passed a resolution as per Supreme Court order to close slaughterhouse during the period.”

HC order denying Sikhs minority status stayed

NEW DELHI: Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday succeeded in getting back minority status for the community on its home turf at least as far as reservation in the institutes run by it is concerned.

On its appeal, supported by Punjab government, a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice M K Sharma ordered a stay on the Punjab and Haryana HC judgment declaring that Sikhs were not a minority in their home state.

Appearing for SGPC, senior advocate Harish Salve said an interim stay on the HC order was necessary as it was creating chaos in the admission process to a large number of educational institutions run by the religious body.


Reservations had been in operation for the last 30-40 years and its sudden cessation would create confusion, he argued.Not unexpectedly, the Prakash Singh Badal government, through senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, toed the same line as it joined SGPC in challenging the HC verdict.

Grand Mahavir Janm Kalyanak Celebration by Digamber Jains of Bangkok

May 11, 2008
by Digamber Jain Samaj, Bangkok

Mahavir Janm Kalyanak, auspicious Vedi Shuddhi and Sthapana of 1008 Shri Mahavir Swami's five (5) panchdhatu Jin Pratimaji were collectively celebrated by Digamber Jain Samaj with full vigor at Bangkok, Thailand Mandir Ji from 18th to 20th April 2008. Around 25-30 Sadharmi bandhus also traveled all the way from India and other parts of the world to participate in this wonderful event.

The whole event was well organized and successfully completed by Samaj's enthusiastic members under the able guidance of the Shreshtha Acharya of present time, Shri 108 Vidhyasagar Ji Maharaj's disciple, Brahmachari and two Pratimadhari Shri Sanju Bhaiya Katangi. He skillfully performed all rituals and Vidhans with his thorough knowledge and understanding of Vidhis.

The Bangkok Digamber Jain Mandir was established in a small office space of one of the committee members around 3 years ago by bringing one Pratishthit panchdhatu Jin Bimb of Lord Mahavir Swami from Kishangarh, Rajasthan. At that time there were only 40-50 known Digamber Jain families in Bangkok. Today the number has grown up to around 100 families.

During this auspicious celebration, sthapana of 4 pratisthit Jin Bimbs of Lord Mahavir Swami recently brought from Jaipur was completed on a very beautiful 7 feet high Sarvobhadra Chaturdig Stambh and Mulnayak Lord mahavir's previous Jin Bimb was placed in the well decorated marble Parikar.

It is important to mention here that the Sarvobhadra marble (Chaturdig) Stambh and white marble Parikar were built in Kishangarh under the expert guidance of well known Pratishthachari from Jaipur, Shri Rajkumarji Kothari, who also specially flew to Bangkok few days ago for the vidhivat installation of Chathrdig Stambh and Parikar. Bangkok Jain Samaj is grateful to him for all his time and help in completing this Mandir in every sense for the wellbeing of DJF, Bangkok Samaj.

Shravaks took vow from Brahmachari Shri Sanju Bhaiya of doing Jin Bimb Prakshalan at least once in a week and all Shravikas present also took the vow of doing Ashtdravya Poojan once a week which created a new milestone. Shri Sanju Bhaiya gave full credit for all these achievements to his Guruvar Acharya Shri 108 Vidhyasagar Ji Maharaj. Bangkok Digamber Jain Samaj has requested him to come again and again in future also for the Jain Dharma Prabhavana.

It is hertening to note that several DJF members have already decided to plan a trip to India in December '08 for the audience with Acharya Shri 108 Vidhyasagar Ji Maharaj and his darshan.

It is really a proud moment for DJF, Bangkok as this is 3rd Digamber Jain Mandir in a City outside India (2 other Digamber Jain Mandir are located in London and Nairobi).

It was indeed a very colorful, memorable and once in life time event for all DJF (Digamber Jain Foundation) members. Our hearty congratulations to all Digamber jain Samaj members for making this event successful and memorable. Jains from all parts of the world are welcome to visit Our Bangkok Jain Mandir.

Please visit Blog http://www.djfmandir.blogspot.com/ for the colorful photos of this and earlier events. For any query or information, you may send e-mail to:

Indian Supreme Court Judgement on Jain Minority Issue

by ALL-INDIA JAIN MINORITY FORUM
President, Chakresh Kumar Jain,
Secretary-General, Bal Patil

The press and media reports on the recent Supreme Court Judgment of the Three-Judge Bench of the Chief Justice, R.C. Lahoti, Justice D.M. Dharmadhikari and Justice P.K. Balasubramanyam are misleading. The reports were headlined stating that “SC.declares Sikhs, Jains part of broader Hindu religion”. Such reports appeared in leading English dailies like the Hindustan Times, The Tribune, The Times of India, and the local language newspapers.

2. Actually the observation that the Sikhs and Jains are “part of the wider Hindu community” occurs on P.15 of the Judgment. It is pertinent to note that from page 10 to page 22 the Judgment contains observations that are not part of the decision as the Court notes:

“Before parting with this case, the Court cannot resist from making certain observations which are considered necessary in order to remind the National and state commissions for Minorities the scope and nature of their functions under the provision of the Act and the role they have to play in constitutional perspective”.

3. The other observations which are not part of the Judgment and hence not Judicially relevant are:i)“ The Hinduism can be called a general religion and common faith, whereas Jainism is a special religion formed on the basis of quintessence of Hindu religion.”

ii)“However, Gandhi, Nehru and Patel destroyed the cabinet Mission Plan (proposed by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad) and accepted partition instead. Azad did his utmost to prevent the partition of India but he failed to persuade Nehru and Gandhi not to accept partition.”

4. These observations although made extra-Judicially have grave implications because the general public takes any declaration made by the Supreme Court as the law of the land. And as can be seen from the press reports and news Channels giving the wrong impression that the Supreme Court rejected the Jain demand for backward community status how damaging such extra-Judicial remarks can be.

5. It is in this perspective that the Judgment of the Supreme Court in the matter of Bal Patil & Anr. Vs. Union of India has given the wrong message to the country against the Jain Community, the National leaders of the country whom we call “Founding Fathers” and the statutory functionaries Viz the National and State Commissions for Minorities who are said to be the cause of fissiparous tendencies.

6. As a matter of fact these extra-Judicial observations are quite irrelevant and uncalled for in view of the central issue of the matter, namely, a prayer to take a decision on the recommendation made by the National Commission for Minorities that Jains be declared a minority religious community on par with the other notified communities, Muslims, Christions, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis).On this issue the present Supreme Court decision has said that:

i) “Before the Central Government takes a decision on the claims of Jains as a minority under section 2 (c) of the Act, the identification has to be done on a state basis. This power is to be exercised on the consideration of social cultural and religions conditions of the Jain community in each state,”

ii) “The state has to be regarded as a unit for determining religions minority for the purpose of Article 30 of the Constitution.”

7. The facts of this petition are as follows:
Dakshin Bharat Jain Subha, a century old Jain organization in western India made a petition through its Convener of Jain Minority states Committee, Bal Patil in the Bombay High Court in 1997 that the Jain community as recommended by the National Commission for Minorities, The Division Bench of the Bombay High Court directed the Central Government to take on expeditious decision.

8. As the Government failed to take decision, a second petition was filed in the Bombay High Court which was disposed on the ground that the matter will be decided after the 11 Judge Bench in TMA Pai Foundation matter takes decision.

9. Thus Bal Patil made a Special Leave Petition to the Supreme Court which was admitted after being taken of the purview of the 11-Jndge Bench. In 2004 a Division Bench of the Supreme Court ordered the Central Government to take a final decision in the matter within four months, and in case of its failure to take a decision permitted the petitioner to be heard on merit.

10. It is pertinent to note that this Order also emphasised that in "T.M.A Pai Foundation's case the the point raised inthis appeal was neither raised nor decided. A final decision has now to be taken by the government on the aforesaid recommendation made by the Commission."

11. The Government of India made an erroneous and irrelevant Affidavit in response to the above order that the minority Status is to be determined by the States concerned. Later on a 3-Judge Bench was constituted the latest SC. Decision is the outcome of this Bench.

12. In the aforementioned context the following facts regarding the Jain minority religions right need to be noted.

i) The Jain demand for minority status is almost a century old, when in British India the Viceroy and Governor General of India, Lord Minto took a decision in principle of giving representation to important minorities in the Central Legislature, Seth Manek Chand Hirachand from Mumbai, an eminent Jain leader from Mumbai and the then Acting President of the Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain Subha made an appeal in 1909 to the Governor General for the inclusion of the Jain community for representation in the Council. Seth Manek Chand’s petition was transferred to the Government of Bombay and the Secretary to the Government of Bombay stated in his reply dated 15th oct.1909 as under.

“I am directed to inform you that a number of seats have been reserved for representation of minorities by nomination and that in allotting them the claim of the important Jain Community will receive full consideration.”

ii) In a Memorandum by the Representative of the Jain Community to the Constituent Assembly in March/April 1947 a strong appeal was made for the inclusion of the Jain community as a minority religious community.

iii) In his speech on 3rd Sept.1949, Jawahar Lal Nehru said: “No doubt India has a vast majority of Hindus, but they cold not forget in fact there are also minorities Mustions, Christians, Parsis and Jains. If India were understood as Hindu Rashtra it meant that the minorities were not cent per cent citizens of the country:

iv) Jainism is mentioned as a religion along with Buddhism and Sikhism in explanation II of the Article 25 of the India Constitution relating to Fundamental Right to religions freedom. On this issue Jawahar Lal Nehru, the than prime Minister, in his letter dated 31.01.1950 assured a Jain Deputation that they need not have any misgivings on this clear constitutional position.

v) Our National Anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ by Tagore clearly enunciates Jains in its second stanza: “Hindu Bauddha, Sikh Jain parsik, Musalman, Christans “as a distinct religion denomination”

vi) The Government of India Census counts Jains in India as a major religious community right from the first census in British India in 1873.

vii) And the clinching statistical census evidence that the Jains are in minority not only in every state of India but also in every district.

13. As view of the foregoing the Supreme Court Judgment extra-Judicial observations on the religious status of the Jain community as part of the Hindu religious are absolutely without any basis. Also the remarks against the National leaders like Nehru, Patel and the very Father of the Nation as responsible for the partition of India are obnoxious.

14. As a matter of fact the entire tenor of the SC observations on the National and State Minority Commissions as leading to “fissiparous tendencies” and hence calling for their closure are highly objectionable as they question the basic tenets of the India secular constitution and hence need to be expunged.

15. In view of the forgoing observations of the Supreme Court the Jain community and the petitioner in the impugned Judgment are concerned to make a Review Petition in the matter.

-BAL PATIL,

Jain Member, Maharashtra State Minorities Commission, Govt. of Maharashtra,
Chairman, Jain Minority Status Committee, Dakshin Bharat Jain Sabha
Secretary-General, All-India Jain Minority Forum,
Co-Author: JAINISM (Macmillan Co 1974). with Colette Caillat, (Member Institut de France, Paris,) & A.N. Upadhye, (ex-President, All-India Oriental Conference,)
Author: SUPREME COURT'S VOLTE FACE ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT (Published by Govt. of Maharashtra, 1980)

उग्रवादियों ने जैन तीर्थस्‍थल मधुबन पर हमला किया

गिरिडीह (झारखंड): उग्रवादियों ने जैनियों के सबसे बडे तीर्थस्‍थल मधुबन पर हमला किया है. गिरिडीह स्थि‍त मधुबन में निर्माणाधीन टूरिस्‍ट कॉम्‍प्‍लेक्‍स को बम से उडा दिया. 20 लाख से अधिक की संपत्ति नष्‍ट हो गई है. किसी के हताहत होने की सूचना नहीं है. इस घटना से दूर-दराज से आ रहे जैन यात्रियों व धर्मावलंबियों में भय व्‍याप्‍त हो गया है.

घटना मंगलवार अर्द्धरात्रि की है. करीब 40-50 की संख्‍या में हमलावरों का एक जत्‍था उस भवन परिसर में पहुंचा. चौकीदार को कब्‍जे में लेने के बाद वहां दो केन-बम लगा कर विस्‍फोट कर दिया. दूसरे दिन घटना स्‍थल पर पहुंचे एसपी ए के सिंह के अनुसार यह करतूत भाकपा माओवादियों के एक गुट का है. दरअसल, इस इलाके में माओवादी दो खेमों में बंटे हुए हैं. एक खेमे को लेवी नहीं मिली थी उसी का खामियाजा इस तीर्थ स्‍थल को उठाना पडा है. करीब सवा करोड की लागत से बन रहे इस टूरिस्‍ट कॉम्‍प्‍लेक्‍स का निर्माण भारत सरकार की ओर से कराया जा रहा था.

तीन जैन साध्वियों की दर्दनाक मौत

उदयपुर,
उदयपुर-अहमदाबाद हाईवे पर खरपीणा गांव के निकट बुधवार सुबह टाटा सुमो के चपेट में आने से तीन जैन साध्वियों की दर्दनाक मौत और तीन घायल हो गई। इनमें से एक की हालत गम्भीर है। दुर्घटना सुमो के चालक को नींद की झपकी आने से हुई। पुलिस ने नाकेबंदी कर चालक को वाहन सहित उदियापोल क्षेत्र से गिरफ्तार कर लिया। उधर इस भीषण दुर्घटना के समाचार से जैन समाज में शोक की लहर छा गई। अस्पताल में लोग उमड पडे। दिवंगत हुई साध्वियों की पार्थिव शरीर को पंचायती नोहरे में दर्शनार्थ के लिये रखा गया।

उदयपुर से 20 किलोमीटर दूर उदयपुर-अहमदाबाद हाईवे पर आज सुबह खरपीणा गांव के स्कूल से विहार कर उदयपुर की ओर आ रही स्थानाकवासी श्रमणसंघ के शीतल सम्प्रदाय की साध्वियां आधा किलोमीटर की दूरी तय ही की थी कि पीछे से तीव्र गति से अहदाबाद की ओर से आ रही टाटा सूमो ने छह साधिवयों पर चढा दी जिससे तीन साध्वियों की घटनास्थल पर ही मृत्यु हो गई जबकि एक साध्वी गम्भीर रूप से घायल हुई और दो को मामुली चौटें आई।

बताया गया है कि श्रमण संघ के शीतल सम्प्रदाय के पूज्य उदयमुनि व अरविन्द मुनि की शिष्या जसकुंवर जी की विदूषी शिष्या साध्वी सिद्घ कुंवर (64), साध्वी विनयप्रभाजी (40), साध्वी दिव्यप्रभाजी (25), साध्वी संयम प्रभाजी (35), साध्वी विमल प्रभाजी (57), साध्वी मुक्ति प्रभाजी (32), साध्वी किरण प्रभाजी (40) व साध्वी शशी प्रभाजी (39) कल मंगलवार का विहार करते हुए खरपीणा गांव पहुंचे। शाम को खरपीणा गांव के स्कूल में रात्रि मुकाम पुरा किया। सुबह भोर होने पर विहार पुनः शुरू किया। विदूषी साध्वी सिद्घ कुंवरजी आदि ठाणा विहार कर उदयपुर की ओर आ रहे थे। स्कूल से करीब आधा किलोमीटर ही चले थे कि पिछे से तेज गति से आ रही टाटा सूमो ने छह बजे करीब साध्वियों को चपेट में ले लिया। इस भीषण दुर्घटना की शिकार हुई साध्वी शशि प्रभा ने संजल आंखो से बताया कि वह सबसे पीछे चल रही थी और अहमदाबाद की ओर से टाटा सूमो लेकर चालक तेज गति से आ रहा था सबसे पहले मुझे टक्कर मारी जिससे मैं उछल कर दूर गिरी और मेरे हाथ में जो पात्रे थे वह टूट गये। उन्होंने बताया कि मुझे टक्कर मारने के बाद साध्वी सिद्घ कुंवर, साध्वी विनय प्रभा, साध्वी दिव्य प्रभा व संयमप्रभा को कुचलता हुआ सबसे आगे चल रही साध्वी विमल प्रभाजी को टक्कर मारता हुआ चालक तेज गति से उदयपुर की भागते समय दुर्घटना स्थल से करीब 100 मीटर दूर जोकर गाडी को रोककर पीछे देखा तो सभी साध्वियां जमीन पर गिरी हुई थी और यह देख वह उदयपुर की ओर भाग छूटा। इन्ही छह साध्वियों के कुछ ही दूरी पर पीछे आ रही साध्वी मुक्तिप्रभाजी व साध्वि किरणप्रभाजी ने यह दृश्य देखते ही उनकी आंखो से आंसू बहने गले। हिम्मत कर मामूली घायल हुई साध्वी विमलप्रभाजी एवं साध्वी शशिप्रभाजी ने मिलकर उछलकर दूर गिरी साध्वी संयमप्रभाजी को खिंचकर सडक के किनारे लाये। उनके बाद उन्होंने करीब 20-25 वाहनों को रूकने का इशारा किया। लेकिन कोई भी इनकी मदद के लिये नहीं रूका। दुर्घटना करीब पौने छह बजे करीब हुई थी। दुर्घटना के 10-12 मिनिट बाद बाडोली निवासी भगवतीलाल पुत्र सोहनलाल नवलखा अपनी गाडी से पत्नी लीलादेवी पुत्री अलका के साथ उदयपुर की तरफ आ रहा था। वह अपने ससुराल राकोला गंगाुपर में शादी समारोह में भाग लेने जा रहा था। उसने देखा कि करीब दो वर्ष पूर्व बाडोली में चातुर्मास कर गई साध्वियों की यह दशा देख वह रूका। वह गाडी से उतरकर सभी साध्वियों की नाडी देखा तो साध्वी संयमप्रभाजी की सांसे चल रही थी। वह तुरन्त साध्वीसंयम प्रभाजी को अपने वाहन से लेकर एमबी चिकित्सालय पहुंचा रास्ते में ही उसने मोबाइल से अपने गांव सूरत में सूचना दे दी। सूचना मिलने पर सबसे पहले सूरत से ज्योतिषाचार्य कान्तिलाल जैन के यहां टेलिफोन पर यह सूचना आई। सूचना की जांच करने के बाद उन्होंने तुरन्त नाकोडा ज्योतिष कार्यालय में विराजित श्रमणसंघ के वरिष्ठ प्रवर्तक रूपमुनि को दी और सभी समाज के पदाधिकारियों को भी इस घटना की सूचना दी। नवलखा अपने वाहन से करीब 6.30 बजे साध्वि को लेकर एमबी चिकित्सालय पहुंचा वहां पर पहले ही सकल जैन समाज के नवयुवक मण्डल श्री महावीर युवा मंच संस्थान के पदाधिकारी एवं अतिरिक्त पुलिस अधीक्षक व हाथीपोल थानाधिकारी मय जाप्ते के वहां मौजूद थे। उन्होंने तुरन्त सयंमप्रभाजी को गाडी से उतारकर उपचार के लिये ले गये। इस बीच सूचना के आधार पर एमबी चिकित्सालय के अधीक्षक डा एसके कौशिक भी वहां पहुंच गये। उन्होंने तुरन्त डा फतहसिंह मेहता और डा आरएन लढ्ढा को बुलाकर साध्वि संयमप्रभाजी को इजाज मुहैया कराया। साध्वि संयम प्रभाजी का उपचार चल ही रहा था कि अस्पतालमें जैन समाज के सभी घटकों के पदाधिकारियों एवं लोगों के पहचने का क्रम शुरू हो गया। 7.20 बजे जब एम्बुलेन्स से साध्वियों के पार्थिव शरीर पुलिस दल लेकर एमबी चिकित्सालय पहुंचा तब यह देखकर अस्पताल में कोहराम मच गया। हर किसी की यह दृश्य देखकर आंखे छलक पडी उधर इस दुर्घटना से अपनी विदूषी साध्वी तथा दो अन्य के अकाल निधन पर चारों साध्वियां फूट-फूटकर रो रही थी। वे अपने शरीर पर आई चोटे भी भूल गई। समाज के सभी लोगों ने साध्वी संयमप्रभा को पुरा उपचार मुहैया कराया। इसके बाद 8.30 बजे तीनों साध्वियों के पार्थिव शरीर को एम्बुलेन्स में लेकर तथा चारों साध्वियों के साथ सिन्धी बाजार स्थित पंचायती नौहरे में ले जाया गया जहां उनकी धार्मिक क्रिया के बाद तीनों को समाधि की अवस्था में तीन पाट पर बिठाया गया। जहां सकल जैन समाज ही नहीं अन्य समाज के लोगों ने भी साध्वी श्री के दर्शन किये और सभी की आंखे छलक रही थी। बेगू, भीलवाडा व उदयपुर संघ के बीच रूपमुनि की निश्रा में हुई बैठक के बाद अन्तिम संस्कार गुणी साध्वि यशकुंवर के सानिध्य में भीलवाडा में कराने का फैसला किया गया। दोहपर 1.50 बजे लोगों ने साध्विश्री के अन्तिम दर्शन किये और बाद में उन्हे अलग-अलग एम्बुलेन्स से तीनों साध्वियों को समाधी की अवस्था में बैठाकर भीलवाडा की और रवाना हुए।

दो साल से गुजरात में कर रहे थे चातुर्मास साध्वि सिद्घ कुंवर आदि ठाणा 8 2005 से गुजरात में ही विहार कर रहे थे और चातुर्मास कर रहे थे। सबसे पहले 2005 में बाडोली, 2006 में उधना व 2007 में व्यारा में चातुर्मास किया। व्यारा से चातुर्मास समाप्त कर अहमदाबाद, गांधीनगर होते हुए उदयपुर की और आ रहे थे। इन्होंने होली चातुर्मास हिम्मतनगर में किया। महावीर जयन्ती उदयपुर में करकर अपनी गुरूमयी यशकुंवर के पास विहार कर जाना था और इन सभी का गुरूमयी यशकुंवर के साथ शाहपुरा में 2008 का चातुर्मास तय था।

बाडोली के नवलखा ने दी पहली सहायता बाडोली के रहने वाले भगवतीलाल नवलखा ने सडक पर अचैत पडी साध्वि संयम प्रभा को तुरन्त अपनी गाडी से एमबी चिकित्सालय पहुंचाया और अपने मोबाइल से सूरतसंघ को सूचना दी और सूरत से यह सूचना उदयपुर में आई।

किसने क्या कहा डा अमरेशमुनी ने कहा कि इस तरह के जो हादसे किसी के हाथ में नहीं होते लेकिन अकाल मृत्यु संवेदना पहुंचाती है। साध्वी विजयलक्ष्मी ने कहा कि जीवन को जागृति संदेश देती है। जिन्दगी के पल भर का भरोसा नहीं इसलिये हर श्रण सावधान रहे। डा स्नेह प्रभाजी ने कहा कि हादसा हुआ जो बहुत बडे दुख की बात है। जितनी सडक की सुविधा बढ रही है उतने ही हादसे बढे है इसलिये चालक को व्यसन मुक्त होकर वाहन चलाना चाहिये। होनी को कोई नहीं टाल सकता लेकिन प्रयत्न करना इन्सान के वश में है।

घटनाक्रम
5.45 पर स्कूल से विहार,
5.55 पर दुर्घटना,
6.04 मिनिट पर उदयपुर में सूचना,
6.30 पर साध्विी संयम प्रभा को अस्पतल पहुंचाया,
7.20 पर तीनों साध्वियों की पार्थिव देह अस्पताल पहुंची,
8.30 बजे पंचायती नौहरे में अन्तिम दर्शनाथ के लिये साध्वियों को समाधि की अवस्था में बिठाया,
1.50 पर भीलवाडा के लिये रवाना, जगह-जगह लोगों ने किये अन्तिम दर्शन तीनों साध्वियों के पार्थिव शरीर को उदयपुर से फोरलेने मार्ग से भीलवाडा ले जाया गया जहां मार्ग में जगह-जगह लोगों ने साध्वियों के पार्थिव देह के अन्तिम दर्शन किये।