SuMo inaugurates Jain festival at Kundalpur

BIHARSHARIF: Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi inaugurated a two-day function to mark the 2617th birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir at Kundalpur in

Nalanda

district on Thursday. Rajya Sabha MP R C P Singh, state rural development minister

Shrawan Kumar

, tourism minister Pramod Kumar, Nalanda MP Kaushlendra Kumar and district incharge minister

Shailesh Kumar

were also present.

The state-sponsored two-day extravaganza, christened ‘Kundalpur Mahotsav’, began with ‘amritabhishek’ in presence of thousands of domestic and overseas devotees. It was followed by a ‘shobha yatra’.

“Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankar, preached peace and non-violence throughout his life. At a time when there is violence and lack of peace across the globe, one should follow in his footsteps to restore the order,” organizing secretary Vijay Jain said.

Thousands of women devotees from across the country and abroad participated in mehndi and rangoli contests. A cultural programme was also organised in the evening.

Pradip Jain, president of Patna-based Jain

Sangha

, thanked government for banning sale and consumption of meat on Mahavir Jyanti. “Sale and consumption of meat should be prohibited at

Pawapuri

, the birthplace of Lord Mahavira,” he added.