User talk:Bshah6

The daughter of a wealthy Walkeshwar diamond merchant, 28-year-old Mansi Jhaveri bid a final farewell to her parents and family and took diksha and becoming a monk on Saturday Mansi, a BCom graduate who had prepared for this moment for three years, was dressed like a bride, a heavy chaniya choli embellished with diamonds to go with the necklace of sparkling diamonds. Her family was in tears but she was smiling throughout. The vast Walkeshwar police ground next door was already packed with thousands of Jains who had showed up as early as three hours before the function to secure a place. The backdrop of the stage portrayed the rough journey that lay ahead of her. At the extreme left were symbols of comfort and luxury: cushioned sofas of rich tapestry in a comfortable warm home. But past a vast choppy sea, on the other end of the banner was an image of the last sermon of Lord Mahavir before he attained moksha. In front of a strong crowd of 5,000, the first ritual of Rajo Haran took place. In this ritual, an `ogho' or a string of woollen threads bunched together is presented to the person taking diksha. Jain monks carry the ogho with them everywhere they go and it is believed to be symbolic of `Jayna' or the pledge of non-violence against all living beings. The ceremony included many community elders and senior Jain monks like Acharya Kalyan Sagarsuri Maharajsaheb (who came there on a wheelchair), Acharya Ashok Sagarsuri Maharajsaheb and Ganivarya Naya Padmasagarji Maharajsaheb who had gathered to bless the 28-year-old. Mansi, whose name means the daughter of Manu or the creator of the universe, has now ironically been re-christened Moksha Maina Shreeji Masatheeji. As is the common rite of passage for any Jain taking diksha, three strands of her hair were plucked and her head shaved. She was then taken for a bath and changed into the white robes of a Jain monk. To present her the pathra or red-white-black wooden utensil used by monks to collect alms, a ghee bolo or auction of Rs 28 lakh took place. On the first day as a Jain monk, she will return to her father's home to collect her first gochari or alms.