Mahavir Jayanti : April 2

Mahavir Jayanti is the most important religious festival in Jainism and also a national holiday in India; it is celebrated to pay a tribute to Lord Mahavira, the last Tirthankara and also marks the day of his birth. It is observed on the thirteenth day of the Chaitra month (March/April). In Jainism, a Tirthaikara is a person who has mastered the circle of death and rebirth and can provide a way for Jains to liberation. Mahavira, son of King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala, was born into the highest aristocracy of the Jain Empire. It was interpreted that Mahavira would become either an emperor or a Tirthankar because while Trishala was pregnant, she had a number of promising dreams, all signifying that a great ruler was to come. Old scriptures point out that when Trishala gave birth to Mahavira, he was bathed in celestial milk by Indra, the king of Gods, this ritual marked Mahavira as a Tirthankar. Jains celebrate this day by bringing home sculptures of Mahavira and giving it a ceremonial bath called Abhisheka. Jains carry out many processions in order to represent the life of Mahavira to the world. These celebrations are mostly carried out in Jain temples, where people meditate and offer prayers in order to be blessed with prosperity and good fortune.