Although Diwali is a major Hindu festival in India, it has special significance for the Jains. On this day, Sraman Bhagwan Mahavir achieved Nirvana (enlightenment). Jains observe Diwali in a manner that is vastly different from the way in which it is celebrated by the Hindus. Austerity which is associated with every Jain custom is also a prominent feature of their Diwali celebrations.

On Dhan Terash or the first day of Diwali, the Jain business communities perform a ceremony related to Dhan or money and begin their books of accounts afresh. They temporarily stop all business transactions subsequent to this Puja for eight days.

On Kali Chaudash the majority of Jains undertake fasting for two days in succession, and this practice is also followed by women. They sit and perform Jaap, which is the counting of rosary, at night. Some devotes listen to Diwaleekalp or sacred Jain discourses. Some Jain devotees practice Paushadh or behave in a manner similar to a monk for two days.

On Amavasya Day people visit Jain temples and exchange greetings with each other. They dole out clothes, give aid and at night perform Jaap. The Jaap hymn is MAHAVIRSWAMI PARGATAY NAMAH.
The Jain New Year
The Jain New Year day which comes a day after Diwali, is also called greeting day. People exchange greetings with each other and convey their best wishes for the ensuing year. After midnight, people perform Jaap chanting “GAUTAMSWAMI KEVAL GNYAYA NAMAH”.

On the second day of the New Year, Jains take out grand processions with the idol of Lord Mahavir. The day is also referred to as Bhai Beej.

On the third day of New Year it is a customary for the Jains to adorn Jain temples and Jain idols with flowers. On the fourth day of the New Year, people belonging to the Jain sect visit temples and worship their gods in accordance with their customs and beliefs. The fifth day of New Year is also known as Gyan Panchami or Shrut Panchmi. People belonging to the Jain sect worship “Gyan” with dissimilar materials, sweets as well as fruits. With a view to attaining pure knowledge, Jap or the counting of rosary is performed by them.

• Hence Diwali for the Jains is somewhat dissimilar from the one performed by the Hindus. Jains do not indulge in the practice of exploding firecrackers.

• They do not consider it fit to indulge in wasteful spending on Diwali festival.
• They are of the opinion that charity and donations are more important in comparison to the bursting of crackers which according to them is a complete wastage of wealth and can be put to good use for the benefit of mankind.

Like the Hindus, Jains too renovate and repaint their houses to welcome the festivities associated with Diwali but they refrain from wasteful spending. Jains commemorate Diwali by indulging in fast, worshipping the Tirthanakaras’ images, adorning the Jain temples, and performing Jaaps or chanting of hymns in praise of Lord Mahavira.

Diwali is an important Hindu festival although it is observed by the Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists as well. Referred to as the “festival of lights,” Diwali marks the triumph of good over evil, and the lighting up of lamps is a custom that stands for celebration and optimism for mankind. Lights and lamps, specifically conventional diyas are an important aspect of Diwali celebrations. Fireworks are connected with the festival almost in every region of India.

Diwali is of great significance in Jainism since on this day Lord Mahavira, the last of the jain Tirthankaras, achieved nirvana at Pavapuri. As per Jain custom, the principal follower of Mahavira, Ganadhar Gautam Swami, as well achieved absolute wisdom on this same day.

Diwali is originally stated in Jain books as the date of the nirvana of Lord Mahavira. The earliest use of the word Diwalior Dipavali appears in Harivamsha Purana composed by Acharya Jinasena, written in Shaka Samvat 705.

• The manner in which Jains commemorate Diwali differs in several ways from the one celebrated by the Hindus.

• There is an element of plainness in whatever the Jains do, and the festival of Diwali is different.
• The Jains observe Diwali in the month of Kartik for three days and all through this period Jains indulge in fasting and recite the Uttaradhyayan Sutra, in which the final pravachans of Lord Mahavira, are present. They reflect upon his teachings.

The Jain year commences with pratipada subsequent to Diwali. Jain businessmen conventionally launch their accounting year from Diwali. Diwali illuminates the temple of heart and reveals the horizon of inner heart. It is Diwali which drenches all living beings with love. Diwali has been observed for fairly a great period of time. But Jains observe it since it marks the Nirvana Kalyanaka of Lord Mahavir.

Gautam Swami, the principal Ganadhar, had performed the actual worship of Lord Mahavir. He obtained the Omniscience or the definitive wisdom after the Nirvana of Lord Mahavir. In Mahavir Swami’s absence, he grieved to such an extent that his soul became liberated from all the bondages of Karmas. This day is regarded as the ‘New Year Day’ in a worldly sense. It can also be described as the new beginning in one’s life.

This festival is observed on the ultimate day of the month of Ashwin. The first day of the month of Kartik, or the subsequent day after Diwali is referred to as the New Year Day.

On the day of the Niravana Kalyanaka of Lord Mahavir, the Jap or chant of ‘Shri Mahavir Swami Sarvgnaya Namh’ is performed at night and at midnight the Jap or chant of ‘Shri Mahavir Swami Parangataya Namh’ is performed by the people belonging to the Jain sect. Early in the morning of the New Year Day, the Jap or chant of 20 Navakarvalis or string with beads is performed. The verse is ‘Shri Gautam Swami Sarvgnaya Namh’.

The ceremony and meditation should be performed with utmost dedication in order to eliminate the difficulties of life and finally help the soul to attain Moksha.

Diwali is an extremely significant event for the Jains since on this particular day of Kartika Krishna 14 or the dawn of the amavasya at the time of the swati nakshatra, Lord Mahavira experienced Nirvana- a condition of total happiness. The Lord rejected the body and the burden of all Karmas on that night, at Pavapuri and achieved Mukti or liberation.

Diwali is referred to as the festival of lights. It is stated in Kalpasutra that the King Chetaka of Vaishali together with other kings who were his friends lighted multitude of lamps thinking that, since the light of intelligence in the form of Mahavira was no more, it would be a great idea to make an illumination from the material matter.

There is one more belief as to why the festival is referred to as the festival of lights. Early in the morning subsequent to the day of Diwali, Ganadhar Gautam Swami, the foremost follower of Lord Mahavir achieved total enlightenment. This could be a more likely cause for observing Diwali as the festivals of lights.

• Perhaps the word “Diwali or Dipavali” was initially mentioned by Acharya Jinasena in his
• “Harivamsha-Purana” on Kartika Krishna 14, or daybreak of the amavasya at the time of the swati nakshatra.
• It was created in Shaka Samvat 705. Consequently people in India every year observe Diwali, to reverentially adore the Jinendra on the occasion of his Nirvana.
• Diwali is not stated in Valmiki’s Ramayana, Mahabharata, Brahminical Puranas or in Tulsidas’s Ram-charit-manas.
• So, it is quite likely that Diwali is primarily a Jain custom, which was adopted by the Hindus and observed by them according to their religious beliefs and customs.

Diwali is celebrated by the Jains in admiration of Jain deities and the final deliverance of Lord Mahavira, the 24th Teerthankar, from the rotation of life. At 72, he died on this day at Pawapuri in Bihar.

The fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Kartik together with the full-moon day and the opening day of the fortnight of the waxing moon in Kartik are the three days observed by the Jains with Paushadh, fasting, exclusive repetition of sacred hymns, and meditation. Jains undertake fast on these three days and listen to the Uttaradhyayan Sutra which has the final preaching of Lord Mahavir.

The entire Diwali night is spent by the pious Jains in reciting the holy hymns and in meditation on Shraman Bhagwan Mahavir. Early in the morning on the first day of the New Year, Ganadhar Gautam Swami, the foremost follower of Lord Mahavir achieved complete enlightenment. The Jains start the New Year with the adoration of Lord Gautam Swami; and listen with dedication to the nine Stotras sacred hymns and also listen to the holy Rasa or epical poem of Gautam Swami from their Guru Maharaj.

On this day, Jains worship Mahavira at midnight and early on the subsequent morning. Holy scriptures are recited and houses are magnificently decorated with lamps and lights. The festival is commemorated with great enthusiasm in Girnar, in Gujarat. Followers of Jainism from all over India congregate at Pawapuri where sweets are distributed.

Diwali is a major Indian festival of the Hindus but Sikhs and Jains also celebrate the occasion according to their custom and religious beliefs. It is also one of the most keenly anticipated events in the Indian subcontinent. Business men together with business houses, regard it as a chance to improve their sales and augment profits, while individuals utilize the chance to rejoice life and fortify relationships. For children, it is an occasion to undergo the pleasures of growing up in the midst of fire crackers. Diwali takes place in the Hindu month of Ashwayuja, also referred to as Ashwin or Aippasi in accordance with the lunar calendar and coincides approximately with either October or November based on the progress of the sun and the moon and their comparative locations in space and time.

It is thought that the earliest scriptural mention of Diwali is present in the Jain scripture Harivamsha Purana, by Acharya Jinasena. None of the major Hindu scriptures state the festival specifically. This has given rise to the speculation that, Diwali was initially a Jain festival and afterwards embraced by Hindus as a festival of their own.

• Lord Mahavira, the final Jain Thirthankaras, is believed to have achieved Nirvana on this day at Pavapuri.
• According to Jain folklore, the first disciple of Mahavira, Ganadhar Gautam Swami, also achieved total knowledge on this very day. This makes Diwali a truly exceptional event for the Jains to commemorate.
  The manner in which Jains observe Diwali is different in several ways to the manner in which Diwali is celebrated by the Hindus. There is a suggestion of severity in what ever the Jains do and the festival of Diwali is no different in any way.
• The Jains observe Diwali during the month of Kartik for a period of three days. During this phase, committed Jains indulge in fasting and recite the Uttaradhyayan Sutra which has the last pravachans of Lord Mahavira and think upon him.

Diwali or Deepawali is the most significant festival in India. For the Jains, it is second in importance after the Paryusana Parva. For Jains Diwali commemorates the anniversary of Mahavir’s moksha. Mahavir achieved moksha on this day in 527 B.C. The Diwali celebration commences early in the morning of the preceding day, for it was at that time that Mahavira began his final discourse which continued till late in the night of Diwali. It is said that the eighteen kings of north India who were part of his audience concluded that the light of their master’s knowledge ought to be sustained symbolically by the lighting of the lamps. For this reason it is known as Dipawali since dipa means lamp, or Diwali.

On the day of the Niravana Kalyanaka of Lord Mahavir, the Jap or chanting of ‘Shri Mahavir Swami Sarvgnaya Namh’ is performed at night and at midnight the Jap of ‘Shri Mahavir Swami Parangataya Namh’ is performed by the people belonging to the Jain faith.