Bhavesh Bhandari and his wife donated their entire fortune at a ceremony in February

Surat:

A wealthy Jain couple from Gujarat, who donated nearly Rs 200 crore and became monks, now plan to embark on a journey of redemption. Bhavesh Bhandari and his wife donated their entire fortune at a ceremony in February and will formally commit to renunciation at an event later this month.

The construction businessman from Himmatnagar became a monk in 2022, following in the footsteps of his 19-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son. People in their community say Bhavesh and his wife were inspired by their children to “give up material attachments and join the ascetic path”.

After taking the oath on April 22, the couple will have to sever all family ties and are not allowed to keep any “material items.” They would then travel barefoot across India, surviving only on charity.

They will only be allowed to have two pieces of white clothing, an alms bowl and a ‘rajoharan’, a white broom used by Jain monks to sweep insects from an area before sitting down – a rule they follow. Violent road sign.

The decision by the Bhandari family, known for their vast wealth, has drawn attention across the state. They join a handful of others, including Bhavaralal Jain, who had previously given up billions of dollars in wealth and lived a life of restraint. Bhavaralal Jain pioneered micro-irrigation system in India.

Together with 35 other people, the Bhandari couple organized a four-kilometer march and donated all their belongings, including mobile phones and air conditioners. Video of the procession showed the couple sitting on a chariot and dressed like royalty.

In Jainism, receiving “initiation” is a major commitment, and individuals live without material comforts, surviving on charity and wandering around the country barefoot.

Last year, a multimillionaire diamond businessman and his wife in Gujarat made a similar move, five years after their 12-year-old son became a monk. Incidentally, just like their son rode a Ferrari for the diksha ceremony, the couple also drove a Jaguar for the initiation ceremony.

In 2017, a wealthy couple from Madhya Pradesh made headlines when they donated Rs 100 crore and left their three-year-old daughter to become a monk. Sumit Rathore, 35, and his wife Anamika, 34, left their daughter with her grandparents before moving. A day before Sumit’s ordination, the Gujarat State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) sought a report from the Civil and Police Administration on the steps taken by the couple to ensure the future of Ibuya, who now has no Kinship. He became a monk with his parents.