22 Year Jain Girl set to become a nun

CHENNAI: A 22-year-old Jain girl here will renounce the world in a diksha ceremony here on July 21 to become a monk. Deepa, a BCom graduate and resident of Sowcarpet, announced her plan here on Monday.

“World is full of sin and only sin. No one can live here without causing problems to others,” said Deepa.

She said she wanted a closer view of the spiritual life and alsoachieve the state of Supreme Being, which is called as Jina in Jainism.

She believed she would be able to help the poor and needy by becoming a monk and said she was not interested in living the usual life of a human being in this world.

Deepa, who has three sisters and a brother, said, “The whole family supported me in my decision to become a monk, after initial refusal.”

After the diksha ceremony, Deepa would not cook her food and would have to go to different Jain or vegetarian households and receive food. She would not take food or water between sunset and sunrise. She would have to walk bare feet everywhere and would not stay more than a few days at a place. Her name would also be changed.

In Jain tradition, becoming a monk is important for achieving salvation or moksha.

From Indian Express, Chennai