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Their Rites, Cults and Religious Festivals : 177
celebrated are repaired, cleaned, and decorated. The adepts put on their most beautiful garments and meet to exchange news, to sing, dance, listen to sacred music, see edifying drama, do processions, take frugal meals together, etc. The stricter obediences prefer, on these occasions, fast, take vows, listen to religious lectures and make generous donations.
As always, we must make a distinction between the Śvetämbara and the Digambara festivals and cite those observed by both sections. We will keep as references the calendar published every year, since 2000, by "JAINA" and the summary made by Dr Jyoti Prasad Jain in his book "Religion and culture of the Jains" published in 1983 by Bharatiya Jnanpith Publications, New Delhi. We must add that calendars, in India, are somewhat different according to one is in the South or in the North and that a lunar calendar is normally used for religious festivals. So the dates (tithi) of Jain festivals change from one year to another.
We will begin with the Indian lunar month of "magha” (January/February) to be relatively in accordance with the Gregorian calendar used in Western world, noting that the "Jain New Year'' falls in October/November the day after the celebration of the anniversary of Mahavira's liberation. We will follow also the Jain tradition along which each month begins the day that follows full moon (pūrṇimā) and is divided into two halves (pakṣa) of 14 or 15 days (fortnights) of dark moon (kṛṣṇa) and of bright moon (śukla) separated by new moon (amavasyā). To the twelve lunar months is added, every 30 or 32 months, a supplementary month (adhikamāsa), to be in accordance with the Gregorian calendar.
Lunar month of "Māgha” (January/February)
The 11th day of the dark fortnight of this month, Jains celebrate the anniversary of Śītala's birth (Śītala-janma) and the 14th day the anniversary of Rṣabha's liberation on Mount Aṣṭāpada.
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