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WORSHIP, RITUAL, FASTS AND FESTIVALS
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the 'Worshipful ones' in the temple or at home on the occasion of the socio-religious ceremonies, the mystic signs and symbols are drawn in a clean metallic platter with sandalwood paste mixed with saffron.
The auspicious objects, usually eight in number, are also arranged on a near-by table. Each of these signs, symbols and objects has a mystic significance and considered very auspicious. Sometimes, these signs and symbols, or some other mystic formula, are engraved on a plate made of copper, bronze, silver or gold, which then becomes an object of worship and is called a yantra.
But, although the Jainas recognise a number of mantras and even yantras, Jainism has nothing to do with the Tantras, Tantrism or Tantrist beliefs and practices; they have no place in this system.
Fasts
Fasting, or abstaining from food in whole or part as a religious duty, is not peculiar to Jainism. Almost all the religions, specially orthodox Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, enjoin the keeping of fasts of some sort on certain days or occasion.
In modern times, many public leaders have used fasting as a means of political and social blackmail, which at times, degenerates into simple hunger strike, and even called as such. Mahatma Gandhi was perhaps, the most pre-eminent in employing fasting as a political device and a powerful nonviolent weapon in the nation's freedom struggle, political awakening and social reform, but with him it was also a means of self-purification. Moreover, many naturopaths, including Mahatma Gandhi himself, believe in the efficacy of fast as a cure of a number of diseases and ailments and for keeping fit.
In Jainism, however, fasts occupy a very prominent place, much more so than in any other system, and constitute by far the most common and popular form of religious practice and
