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176: JAINS TODAY IN THE WORLD and “sūtra” during their rites and their “pūja”. We will see these practices in detail in the next chapter on Jain symbols. They say also prayers to heavenly beings, especially to gods and goddesses who are supposed to bestow favours to humans. During their “půjā" they like as well sing various religious songs and hymns specifically praising the Tīrthankara. We will see in a more detailed mood such types of cults in the next chapter. Now, we will have a look at their religious festivals that are for them the opportunity to do “pāja”, to practice austerities, like fasts, to undertake pilgrimages, etc.
3. Their religious festivals
Jain festivals (mahotsava) are very numerous. It is impossible to find one month during the year when there are none. We may class them roughly in five categories: periodical, historical, local, commemorative and special.
In the periodical festivals we find fasts (prośadha) of the eighth and fourteenth days of each fortnight of the month, of the eight last days (astāhnika) of the Indian months of “kārtika” (October November), "phālguna ” (February March), "asādha “ (June/July) and of the ten last days (daśalakṣaṇī) of “bhādra ” (August/September), “māgha” (January February) and “caitra” (March/April). The days of new moon (amāvasyā) and of full moon (pūrnimā) are considered by the Jains as sacred. So, fasts and particular devotions are also the rule on these occasions. All these fasts are only practiced by the most pious Jains; many of them limit their effective number or sometimes practice only semi-fasts consisting of only a meal a day with bland food (āyambila).
Historical festivals honour the anniversaries of important religious events. Local ones are limited to specific regions. Commemorative festivals recall the five great auspicious events in the life of a Tirthankara. There are also great festivals, lasting several days, like consecrations of temples, installations of statues in a sanctuary, etc.
For the Jain laity all these celebrations are the occasion to break the daily monotony and to sustain their faith. The places where they are
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