-Dhwani Pathak
Jain munis and sadhvis have been asked to walk carefully on highways when they are on a ‘vihaar’. A word of precaution has been circulated among the Jain sanghs following the Ahmedabad-Borivali highway accident which killed two sadhvis.
Following the Monday morning accident near Dahisar in Maharashtra, a lot of nuns and monks have stopped midway fearing the same fate. This is the first road mishap after this year’s paryushan.
According to Jain tradition, the munis and sadhvis resume their walk only after Dev Diwali after the rains have stopped.
For the last three years, the sadhvis and munis are being instructed to affix to their walking sticks radium strips which reflect light. This could help prevent accidents. Says Jasmin Shah of Sarva Dharma Rakshak Sewa Trust, “It has been made compulsory for all munis and sadhvis on vihaar to have radium strips so that vehicle drivers can spot them from a distance.”
These radium strips are also affixed to their clothes and wheelchairs or tricycles as the case may be.Apart from this, they have also been asked to not travel in the dark. Acharya Kulchandrasurishwarji Maharajsaheb says, “Early morning is risky for sadhujis. A lot of these accidents happen when vehicles try to overtake in the wrong manner.”
Adds Shah, “Sadhujis and sadhvijis will now be travelling only after 6 am so that they can walk for 10-15 km and reach their destination by 8.30-9 am.”
Various sections of the Jain community have asked the state government to step up the security of the Jain spiritual leaders who walk on highways.
Says Yuvak Mahasangh president Piyush Jain, “The government should take concrete steps in this direction. Sign boards should be put up on the roads on which they walk and instructions be given to every driver who passes through toll booths. Pamphlets could be distributed among them as part of an awareness campaign.”
According to Maharajsaheb, “Often the truck drivers’ licences are not checked. Traffic police and the concerned area police should step up security.”
The community wants a separate lane for pedestrians built.
Following the Monday morning accident near Dahisar in Maharashtra, a lot of nuns and monks have stopped midway fearing the same fate. This is the first road mishap after this year’s paryushan.
According to Jain tradition, the munis and sadhvis resume their walk only after Dev Diwali after the rains have stopped.
For the last three years, the sadhvis and munis are being instructed to affix to their walking sticks radium strips which reflect light. This could help prevent accidents. Says Jasmin Shah of Sarva Dharma Rakshak Sewa Trust, “It has been made compulsory for all munis and sadhvis on vihaar to have radium strips so that vehicle drivers can spot them from a distance.”
These radium strips are also affixed to their clothes and wheelchairs or tricycles as the case may be.Apart from this, they have also been asked to not travel in the dark. Acharya Kulchandrasurishwarji Maharajsaheb says, “Early morning is risky for sadhujis. A lot of these accidents happen when vehicles try to overtake in the wrong manner.”
Adds Shah, “Sadhujis and sadhvijis will now be travelling only after 6 am so that they can walk for 10-15 km and reach their destination by 8.30-9 am.”
Various sections of the Jain community have asked the state government to step up the security of the Jain spiritual leaders who walk on highways.
Says Yuvak Mahasangh president Piyush Jain, “The government should take concrete steps in this direction. Sign boards should be put up on the roads on which they walk and instructions be given to every driver who passes through toll booths. Pamphlets could be distributed among them as part of an awareness campaign.”
According to Maharajsaheb, “Often the truck drivers’ licences are not checked. Traffic police and the concerned area police should step up security.”
The community wants a separate lane for pedestrians built.
its really very nice attempt of awareness among youth which has to be followed by every one as a responsible citizen we must also take care
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