Celebrated by the Jain community to observe peace, harmony and to spread the teachings of Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, Mahavir Jayanti marks the birth anniversary of the founder of Jainism or Mahavir Janma Kalyanak and is one of the most auspicious festivals for the Jain community. Jainism lays focuses on world peace and harmony such that no or minimal harm is brought to living creatures.
Jains believe that Jainism is an eternal (sanatan) religion (dharma) with the tirthankaras guiding every cycle of the Jain cosmology. Parasparopagraho Jīvānām (the function of souls is to help one another) is the motto of Jainism, while Ṇamōkāra mantra is the most common and basic prayer in Jainism.
It was on the 13th day in the month of Chaitra or the 13th day of waxing moon in the Chaitra month of Hindu calendar, that Mahavir was born in Kundalagrama in Bihar. He was born as the son of to King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala. His birth date, however, is sometimes debatable among the Swetambar Jains, according to whom he was born in 599 BC, while the Digambar Jains believe he took birth in 615 BC.
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