Bhavnagar (Gujarat), Aug 29 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday flagged off a grand procession (Varghoda) of ascetics during the collective Parna Mahotsav of Siddhi Tap in Bhavnagar.

The ceremony was organised at the premises of Shree Bhavnagar Jain Shwetambar Murti Pujak Tapa Sangh in the presence of revered Jain Acharyas, under whose blessings the Chaturmas festivities are currently underway.

More than 531 ascetics who had undertaken the rigorous Siddhi Tap concluded their fasting at the event. The programme commenced with the chanting of the Navkar Mantra. Chief Minister Patel unfurled the official flag and offered his respects to the ascetics before leading the departure of the religious procession from the Jain temple premises.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said, 'Today I have been blessed with the opportunity to witness such a large congregation of ascetics. In our culture, it is believed that merely having a glimpse of ascetics brings spiritual upliftment. The more we stay in the presence of saints and monks engaged in penance, the greater the benefit we receive.' He extended his greetings to the devotees and conveyed 'Michhami Dukkadam' to the entire Jain community.

Jain Acharyas showered blessings upon the Chief Minister, while leaders of the Tapa Sangh felicitated him with traditional honours.

Union Minister of State Nimuben Bambhaniya, Bhavnagar Mayor Bharat Barad, MLAs Jitu Vaghani, Sejal Pandya, Shivaraj Gohil, Standing Committee Chairman Raju Rabadiya, Deputy Mayor Mona Parekh, and several community leaders, including Kumar Shah, Digvijaysinh Gohil, Kishor Gurmukhani, Jayu Shah, Manish Kanadia, Himanshu Shah, Sanjay Thar, Piyush Doshi, and Ramesh Shah, were also present at the occasion.

The Jain community in Gujarat, though numerically small'estimated at less than 1 per cent of the state's population'holds significant social, cultural, and economic influence. Concentrated in cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Bhavnagar, and Palitana, Jains are known for their contributions to trade, diamond and textile industries, real estate, and finance, making them one of the wealthiest communities in the state.

Their philanthropy is visible in the form of hospitals, schools, dharamshalas, and the restoration of temples, especially in sacred centres like Palitana, revered as the world's only hill entirely dedicated to Jain temples. Beyond economics, their emphasis on non-violence, vegetarianism, and community welfare has shaped Gujarat's cultural and dietary identity, ensuring their relevance far beyond their numbers.

/IANS