Taking Diksha is a preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony, and essentially means renouncing worldly life to live an ascetic one. The Diksha will be taken in Sarvoday Nagar Jain Mandir, Mulund.
Today will mark a different kind of wedding anniversary for the Shahs, a couple from Baroda. Instead of celebrating the occasion, the two will part ways after a union of 19 years. From Baroda, the two will be taking Diksha in Mumbai early in the morning.
Taking Diksha is a preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony, and essentially means renouncing worldly life to live an ascetic one. The Diksha will be taken in Sarvoday Nagar Jain Mandir, Mulund.
The husband, 47-year-old Vipul Shah, will take his Diksha in the presence of Pramapujya Acharya Naychandrasagar Suri Maharaj, while his wife, Kunjal Shah will be taking it in the presence of Pujya Sadhviji Naypurna Shriji.
Of the two, Vipul was available to talk to dna. He said: “It is a choice we made almost two years ago. Since then, we have tried to practice living separately.” On Tuesday night too, the two were almost separated by the scores of relatives who came to visit them one last time.
The decision to take Diksha on their anniversary was not a planned move. “Diksha is taken as per Mahurat. It happened to coincide with our anniversary, and our gurus are in Mumbai, so we came here,” Vipul added.
Working all his life as a life insurance agent, Vipul decided to take Diksha with Kunjal after their only son took one two years ago, and cajoled them into taking it too.
“Diksha is in some ways centric to Jainism. We decided only when we were sure that our son was able to lead a monk's life and was comfortable living it. We could see that we do not have to be around him to to give him support in case he decides to return to worldly life,” said the 47-year-old.
Their 2-BHK place in Baroda, all the furniture, two two-wheelers, cash and every other asset was distributed among family, distant relatives and friends, according to their needs. Over 250 of their kin have come to Mumbai to observe the ceremony.
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