Jain saint to replicate 2,500-year-old feat with 423 fasts

A Jain saint here would complete 423 'upvas' (fast without food) in a period of 494 days, a feat replicated after 2,500 years.

Pujya Shri Hansratnavijayji Maharaj Saheb (Pujya Shri), 49, has undertaken 'Gunaratna Samvatsar Tap', which would culminate tomorrow with 'Parna Mahotsava' (a function to mark breaking of fast), J K Sanghvi, one of the organizers of the event, said.

The Jain saint has undertaken the penance, which is to undertake 407 fasts in 480 days. But he extended it to undertaking 423 fasts in a period of 494 days, he said.

In total, he has completed 1,722 days of fast in last 14 years, the organizers further said. The event would be held tomorrow morning at MMRDA Ground in Bandra, Mumbai, with several Jain seers, celebrities and thousands of members of Jain community in attendance.

The feat is the biggest ever in the history of Jainism. It was undertaken by five Jain monks during the time of Lord Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankara, more than 2,500 years ago. The Jain fast does not permit eating of any type of food and only boiled water can be consumed during the day time (8.00 AM to 6.30 PM).