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RELIGION & CULTURE OF THE JAINS
kalyanakas of the twentyfour Tirtharkaras. The strictly historical festivals mark the anniversaries of certain important events of religious significance. Then, there are certain festivals and fairs which are of a purely local nature, such as the bathing ceremony of the colossus of Gommața-svāmin at Sravaņabelagola (Karnataka state), which takes place after every twelve years, the annual fairs held at different places of pilgrimage, at certain temples and shrines, and in many villages, towns and cities. The latter often take the form of car processions, when Tirthankara images are taken out in richly caparisoned chariots, the devotees following barefoot, chanting hymns and the eulogies of the Jina.
Lastly, there are some special celebrations, such as the consecration ceremony of a temple, shrine, image or images and special pūjās like the siddha-cakra-vidhāna, or Santividhāna, perfomed for bringing peace and happiness to the worshippers and the world at large.
Many of these festivals and holidays are festive occasions which go a great way in breaking the monotony of the hum-drum daily routine of life, and give it an added zest. Places of worship are cleaned, decorated and given a fresh look, people put on new dresses, processions are taken out, dancing, music and singing are indulged in, communal gatherings take palce, and diverse entertainment and general rejoicing mark the occasion. The essential features of a Jaina festival, however, are not these elements which are common to most other systems as well, but it is the much more sober, religious and pious aspects which characterise a Jaina festival. Keeping fast, worshipping the Jina and other adorable ones or things, recitation of hymns and sacred texts, holding religious discourses, almsgiving, taking the vows, and such other acts of piety almost invariably form part of the Jainas' celebration of their holidays.
The more important of them, from the point of view of their popularity, are given below, in terms of the Indian calendar,
