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Notes: All timings are represented in 12-hour notation in local time of New Delhi, India with DST adjustment (if applicable).
Hours which are past midnight are suffixed with next day date. In Panchang day starts and ends with sunrise.
Mahavir Jayanti is observed by Jains as the birth anniversary of Mahavir Muni. Mahavir, also known as Vardhamana, established the core tenets of Jainism. Mahavir was the 24th and last Jain Tirthankara of the present Avasarpini Kala.
Mahavir was born on the thirteenth day of the lunar fortnight, i.e., the Trayodashi Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Chaitra. This day is also known as Mahavir Swami Janma Kalyanak. Mahavir was born during 599 B.C. and disappeared in 527 B.C. at the age of 72. Mahavir was born at Kundalagrama which is situated in the Vaishali district in Bihar.
King Siddhartha, the chief of the Jnatrika Vansh, was the father of Mahavir Swami. His mother was Mata Trishala, who was the sister of Chetaka, the chief of the Licchavi republic. Mahavir Swami belonged to a Kshatriya family, but his parents were followers of the tradition of Parshvanatha. His elder brother was named Nandivardhana, and his sister was named Sudarshana.
According to the Shvetambara tradition, Mahavir was married to a princess named Yashoda, and they had a daughter named Priyadarshana. Priyadarshana was married to Jamali. However, according to the Digambara tradition, Mahavir Swami is considered to have remained unmarried and a lifelong Brahmachari.
Lord Mahavir renounced worldly life and attained self-realization through rigorous penance. He preached the core principles of Jainism known as Satya, Ahimsa, Asteya, Brahmacharya, and Aparigraha. The purpose of these principles is to establish self-purification, compassion, and equality towards all living beings. In particular, the principle of Ahimsa remained central to His teachings, through which He conveyed the message of compassion and kindness towards all beings.
On this occasion, the idol of Lord Mahavir is placed on a chariot and taken out in a grand procession, known as Rath Yatra. During this procession, prayers and devotional hymns are sung. The idols of Lord Mahavir are ceremonially bathed in a ritual known as Abhisheka.
On this day, most members of the Jain community engage in religious activities such as charity, Puja, prayers, and Vrat. Many devotees visit temples dedicated to Lord Mahavir to meditate, perform worship, and offer food donations. In temples, discourses are delivered by Jain monks, where the path of righteousness and conduct as per Jainism is preached.
On this day, Ahimsa processions and rallies are also organized to spread the message of non-violence given by Lord Mahavir, inspiring society to follow the path of compassion, truth, and righteousness.
