GUWAHATI, April 18 - A prolonged Ahimsa Yatra of 20,000 km on foot, led by Acharyashri Mahashraman along with his disciples, had entered Assam on March 24.
This yatra was flagged off by the Vice President of Nepal in the presence of a galaxy of dignitaries from different walks of life from the Red Fort, Delhi, on November 9, 2014. It has till now covered territories of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Nepal and Bhutan.
�The three objectives of the Ahimsa Yatra are to promote goodwill, morality and de-addiction. The reverend Acharya will also be holding its pious Chaturmas (four-month stay at one place) of 2016 in Guwahati. This is going to be the first ever Chaturmas of a Jainacharya of his stature,� vice president of Jain Swetamber Terapanth Basant Surana and general secretary Suparas Baid said at a press conference today.
Lakhs of devotees will visit Guwahati from July to November this year to pay obeisance to Acharya. The occasion will also witness a number of mega socio-religious conferences and events.
�It will be the sincere endeavour of the organizing committee to bring various ethnic groups of the North-east to address the burning issues of the region. A committee under the presidenship of social worker Bimal Kumar Nahta is engaged in making all types of arrangements for hosting the pious Chaturmas and visiting devotees at an upcoming massive complex at the new airport road, Dharapur, Guwahati,� Surana said.
Acharya is the supreme head of the Jain Swetamber Terapanth. Terapanth is a religious sect, but its programmes and projects are non-sectarian and humanitarian. Since the nation�s independence, his predecessor Acharyas have contributed to the national life with their well-recognised programmes like Anuvrat movement, Jeewan Vigyan Preksha meditation, training in nonviolence, etc.
�Acharya lays emphasis on the Jain theory of relativity by understanding, which makes dogmatism, wrong concepts, conflicts, senseless, prejudice, selfishness, partialities and one-sidedness vanish by themselves, thereby making way for a harmonious, peaceful and value-based society,� Surana said.
