Daijiworld Media Network - Gujarat

Gujarat, Apr 16: A businessman and his wife from Gujarat have generously donated their lifetime earnings of Rs 200 crore and are preparing to embrace a life of monkhood. Bhavesh Bhandari and his wife made this significant decision during a ceremony held in February this year.

Originally from Himmatnagar, the Bhandari family had been engaged in the construction industry. Inspired by the earlier decisions of their 16-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter, who had already embraced monkhood in 2022, Bhavesh and his wife chose to follow suit.

Bhavesh Bhandari, hailing from a Jain background, had been deeply involved in construction projects in Sabarkantha and Ahmedabad. Despite growing up surrounded by luxury and prosperity, they felt called to a more spiritually fulfilling path.

In February, accompanied by 35 others, the Bhandari couple led a four-kilometre procession where they donated all their possessions, ranging from mobile phones to air conditioners. The event captured them dressed in majestic attire atop a chariot, symbolically parting with their worldly belongings.

On April 22, the couple will formalize their commitment by severing all familial ties and relinquishing any remaining material possessions. Following this, they will embark on a barefoot journey across India, sustaining themselves solely through alms.

In Jainism, the act of 'diksha' represents a profound dedication, involving the renunciation of material comforts and modern conveniences, relying solely on alms for sustenance, and traversing the country barefoot.