Soul marriage

inspiration and faith can radically alter lives. till four years ago, shashi chordia, 25, a marwari jain, was a typical teenager from durg in madhya pradesh. she loved hindi films, enjoyed fast food, never missed saans and dreamt of finding a suitable match. a commerce graduate, she lived in the lap of luxury. meena jain, 27, from nagpur, was passionate about psychology and mind control (part of her ba syllabus) sight-seeing and meeting friends.her ambition was to pursue research and, of course, get married. but all that may not happen, as both girls have embraced the spiritual life. what was the turning point? for chordia, youngest of five sisters, it was a chance meeting with vasant mala, a jain nun, who visited durg temporarily. “she was teaching children the tenets of jain religion and the attainment of salvation. her discourse was simple, interspersed with short stories of how to achieve victory over the cycle of life and death. i overheard this part and it left me numb. i couldn’t get over it. i started seeing life from a different perspective and stubborn as i was, i swore to understand it. my mind was firm that i would join her.� meena jain, herself a non-jain, only accompanied her friend to listen to preeti sudha’s discourse. “as she espoused the content of jain philosophy and realisation of atma, i was stunned,� says jain. “i couldn’t wait to join her, opposition notwithstanding,� she recounts. whether it was destiny or faith, last week chordia, now shrim preetiji, and jain, now hrim preetiji (names of mantras) renounced all worldly pleasures to become jain swetamber stanakvasi (non idol worshippers) nuns at a weighty ceremony in pune where the duo were bedecked in glittering saris and jewellery, as is the norm, before embracing the life of a nun. ask the duo about the arduous path ahead and they are unfazed. in fact, chordia is effusive. “i have been looking forward to this day for three years. it was my parents’ wish to celebrate my deeksha (the initiation ceremony to becoming a nun) in my home town, but i was adamant. i feel complete today.� says the soft-spoken jain, “i’ve always loved travelling and now, it will be more frequent. of course, i will walk on foot only, no vehicles at all. what difference does it make? that is what i told my brother, who has been persuading me for five years to return home. he promised to accompany me on a world tour but it doesn’t excite me anymore.� nor do the exquisite jewellery, mehndi and a fancy hairdo which she dons. postceremony, her long tresses were shaved off, much to the dismay of her family who were surprised to see her calm demeanour. “how can one be so attached to one’s body? it will go to dust. my body is different from me. i am atma the soul and i will strive to purify it,� she intones aloud at the adinath temple hall where she will stay for the mandatory 40 days, with her guru, preeti sudha. chordia wears her mupati (a stiff lipcover tied with string) comfortably. “i am getting used to it. perhaps my words don’t come out clearly, but i am trying,� she says. from now on, the dikshaathis (as they are called) will remain celibate and shun all forms of luxury. this implies no carrying of any form of money, making no food (accepting whatever is offered by the jains living close by) and not using any means of transport or electronic communication. even electricity has to be sparingly used only for studying the scriptures. the use of scissors too is not permitted. the hair on their heads henceforth will be plucked out one by one, by hand. this spartan life appears unlike anything they are used to. how will they cope? adjusting her new white robe, jain explains, “it’s been a gradual process of acquiring inner strength and purposefulness in this existence. i’ve been living with my guru’s group, understanding the nuances of this religion, the spirit of ahimsa and have learnt the mantras like pratikaman and samaik (a 40-minute meditation exercise through shlokas) gathas (25 phrases of understanding existence without ego, anger and on awakening of atma). today, there are no regrets. i experience a sense of inner contentment.� “when i first joined, my guruji was apprehensive,� says chordia. “she consoled my grieving parents by saying that i would visit shikharji, a pilgrimage at calcutta, and perhaps return home. however i was adamant. i sincerely took to the essence of the jain scriptures, and found the material world totally unattractive.� still, was it as smooth as it appears? “certainly not,� both girls say. chordia recalls crying when, after walking 20 km barefoot a day, her feet would ache and develop cracks. “i remembered, and missed my mother very much,� she says. jain remembers how her guruji used to scold her in the early days. “it was very upsetting. today i have developed the wisdom and understand that she is, after all, my teacher who loves me.� and so, the girls are now wedded to a new way of life. devotees throng them as they offer words of wisdom. clearly, the faith is unshakeable as they speak of the virtues of atma - mein atma hoon, avinashi hoon, agar amar hai, shudhipurna hoon (i am a soul, indestructible and pure).