What is diksha ceremony?

Jainism was founded around 600BC, though Jains believe that their tradition has no historical founder, it came as a reaction against the domination of brahmans and the spread of the agricultural economy.

Jainism has 24 Tirthankaras (savior and spiritual teacher of dharma), Rishabhanatha the first one, and Mahavira the last. Upon stifling through traditional accounts, it was found that Rishabhanatha was born to King Nabhi and Queen Marudevi in the city of Ayodhya whereas Mahavira was born in Kundagram in 540 BC. Extreme penance was his only solution to attain salvation.

Jainism as a religion is divided into two broad sects: Digambaras and Svetambaras. Both of these adhere to five basic vows of non-violence (ahimsa), truth (Satya), not stealing (acharya), celibacy (brahmacharya), and detachment (aparigraha). There are several teachings you might come across.

Deeksha is a Jain ritual of renunciation which is followed by devout Jains. They highly believe in asceticism as a path of spiritualism. Jains believe that all miseries arise when we desire affiliation and associate our happiness with those around us. They believe that after taking Deeksha, the soul starts walking towards salvation and is freed from the universal attachments.

But post-Deeksha an austere life awaits them, they have to walk barefoot for the whole of their life, use no electricity, eat only what they receive in alms, pluck their hair, never use a vehicle again. They keep no worldly relationships and even abandon their parents. They do this to free themselves from the cycle of rebirth. With time the ceremony of Deeksha has been aggrandized, the stage is set, the future monks are dressed in royal attires, all the relatives are called upon and the milieu is the same as that of a marriage.

Deeksha in its literal sense means “taking righteous path”.

In the pursuit of life, we become busy earning money, keep associating ourselves with materialistic things and forget about our true self and ethics. Instead of taking time to discover ourselves, we waste our time in questing the delusional happiness of the world.

The Jain community though a minority is very influential. They have a very high literacy rate and 60% of the diamond business of the world is carried on by Jains. Despite having all the luxuries of life they live a very basic life and as a repercussion are attracted to spiritualism. Jainism believes that the more worldly wealth a person possesses, the more he is likely to sin to acquire and maintain the possession. Most of the Jains have given away all their wealth in charity. For them, the world is a temporary place for the soul and the soul has got a purpose to serve and that purpose is not limited to the boundaries of the world.

The young generation despite being full-time netizens and social media buffs has understood that life is beyond the tangible assets we covet for and talking about the Jain youngsters, they are much more into their religion. They are worried about the long-term goals of life (salvation) than the short-term goals. Also, the level of stress among the human population is an ever-increasing menace and it can be curbed by practicing self-enrichment which is a by-product of following a spiritual path.

The number of people taking Deeksha has increased year to year. Less than 2% of them revert to their original life. The youngest till now was 12 years old who took Deeksha in the year 2019. The path of Deeksha is arduous. A person can own only 2 white garments, a bowl for alms, and a white broom. The diksharthis have to go through painful procedures like kesh lochan (hair plucking). This deeply painful ritual signifies disregard for physical pain. Upashraya is the place where Jain monks stay temporarily as they don’t travel in the monsoon season. Deeksha though filled with adversities is a path of independence as a person completely stops being reliable on anyone for anything and emanates a sense of liberation within an individual.

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diksha, (Sanskrit: “initiation”) in ancient India, the rite performed prior to the Vedic sacrifice in order to consecrate its patron, or sacrificer; in later and modern Hinduism, the initiation of a layperson by the guru (spiritual guide) of a religious group.

Twelve-year-old Bhavya, son of a diamond merchant from Surat, loved Ferrari cars. Bhagyaratna Vijayji Maharaj, as he is known now, took a vow of renunciation (diksha) a fortnight ago to join an order of Jain monks."When he was 8, I told him we'd buy him one when he's old enough to drive. Today he is not allowed to sit in a car," said his father Dipesh Shah. "A Jain monk's life is spent walking barefoot from one place to another even in the scorching heat," he added, emotion writ large on his face.Videos of Bhavya on his way to his 'diksha' ceremony, - sitting atop a chariot dressed like a prince, wearing branded sun-glasses -- were so compelling that it became national news.

The "before and after" images of diksharthis, or those who seek diksha, are dramatic. For the public, what's of interest is not the metaphysics but reasons why one would renounce wealth and comfort for an austere monastic life. In case of the very young, there is also a concern whether the decision was their own.In April, there were as many as 55 initiation ceremonies across Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Surat -- cities that have a large Jain population.NDTV spoke to Heta Shah, who trained as a pharmacist from Canada, on the eve of her initiation.  Initially she was reluctant to speak and relented only when she found the interviewer was a woman.For the ceremony, Heta was dressed like a bride - swathed in green and orange, hands and feet covered in henna, thick hair elaborately arranged, covered head to toe in jewellery.

The family had moved to Canada when she was just 10 years old. She grew up as a normal teen, with a successful career, car, friends and a loving family. But six years later, she was back in India to study Jain scriptures, led to her decision by relatives who had taken vows."You spend your life building a career, a house, making money... but at the end of the day when you pass away, you take nothing. I wanted something I could take with me in my next life... the only way to do that is 'Sayyam Jeevan'," she said.It's a term that's repeated by all. "Sayyam Jeevan" or the way of the ascetics is a concept highly revered and frequently referred to in Jain sermons. A life lived in this fashion, it is believed, increases the chances of escaping the cycle of rebirth.When Heta's brothers tried to persuade her against her decision, she silenced them with, "You think of short-term goals mine is long term".  For diksharthis, the initiation process begins with a traditional final meal before sunset. It is the last supper they have with their families. Here on, they are not allowed to cook for themselves and can only eat what they get as alms.

Seeking initiation with Heta were nine others - among them an elderly couple, a diamond merchant and two sisters, Nidhi and Neha.The extrovert of the group, Nidhi was happy to give the assembled media what seemed practiced soundbytes: "I don't want Adidas, I want to be Adi ka das. I don't want Levis, I want to live wise. I do not want Pepsi, I want mercy. I don't die for wealth, I want my desires to die."A vivacious 15-year-old, her views were at marked variance with most teenagers'. The concept of boyfriends, she said, was "trivial". "For girls, boys are like devils. They ensure an attachment that traps the soul. A life of Jain sadhvi will free me from such temptations," she said.After the meal, the diksharthis proceeded to a grand tent looking like a castle. Most initiation ceremonies are planned like a wedding, with a night of music (Jain bhajans set to the tune of Bollywood hits) before the early morning vows.Inside the tent, their extended family, friends and the local Jain community gathered to celebrate their renunciation.  This is when a person's wealth is given in charity."We are to have no possessions and no expectations from people," Nidhi explained. "If today, I ask any married couple if they are happy, the answer will be no. The minute you think another person will give you happiness, the trouble begins. If he takes you to a hotel but it is not candle-lit then you are sad, because we have seen in films this is how it has to be. Agamas (Jain texts) teach us that happiness lies in oneself. Mahavira tells us that the desire to be desireless is the only desire to have."As the evening ceremony unfolded, the diksharthis were made to sit on gilded sofas upholstered in red velvet, to be greeted by family and friends. They touched the feet of their parents, showering them with rice, thanking them for their birth and saying final farewells.

The final part of the ceremony involved the initiates going behind curtains where their hair was shorn. The first time, this is done with a blade. But later, twice each year, each Jain sadhu and sadhvi will have to go through a ritual called "keshlochan" (shedding of hair) where each strand is plucked out by hand. This deeply painful ritual signifies disregard for physical pain.

"We sleep on the ground, use no fans in the summer, no heaters or woollens in the winter. We walk bare-feet, we use limited water. We do not bathe, only sponge ourselves. You need great endurance for this. Keshlochan teaches us that," explained Heta.Later in Ahmedabad, Maharaj Jinang Dharmashri, a Jain sadhvi at an upasraye in Sabarmati, gave a glimpse of the life that awaited Heta and Nidhi.She had taken diksha when she was 19, following her elder sister, her mother, her maternal grandmother and father.  Her father was at an adjacent upasraye for Jain monks, but she saw him only a few times a year."Look at all 51 of us here. We are young. We speak English. We come from rich backgrounds. We now live with nothing, but aren't we happy? We don't need facials for a glow, it comes from within," she said.Jinang's elder sister had done brilliantly in her International Baccalaureate and was set to go to Dartmouth, but the strong tradition in her family drew her towards diksha. Both sisters were candid, unfazed by questions about a life with no water for a young woman constantly on the move."We are allowed to clean ourselves during our menstrual cycle. Your questions arise as you think this is an unnatural path, tough, even cruel. The truth is your life seem far tougher to us," she said.

• Non-Violence. Jain monks must not cause harm to any living being, including in thoughts, words, and deeds.
• Truthfulness. Jain monks must always speak the truth and avoid lying or deception.
• Non-Stealing.
• Celibacy.
• Non-Possession.
• Cleanliness.
• Austerity.
• Study of Scriptures.