- Rājacandra information in Gujarati
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The shrimadrajchandra.org website is a Gujarati site run by Dinesh D. Mehta.
- Rājacandra remembers his previous lives
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This 2008 cartoon on YouTube shows the central episode in the childhood of the 19th-century poet and reformer Śrīmad Rājacandra. Following the death of a family friend, seven-year-old Rājacandra remembered his previous existences – jāti-samaraṇa-jñāna.
- Rāmāyaṇa – English translation
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Ralph Griffith's English translation of the Rāmāyaṇa is offered on the Sacred Texts website. First published from 1870 to 1874, this is a verse translation of one of the Hindu accounts, with footnotes.
- Rangoli of Mahāvīra
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This rangoli of the 24th Jina, Mahāvīra, was created as part of the 2006 Dīvālī celebrations at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Jains commemorate Mahāvīra's final liberation during Dīvālī, which lasts several days. The festival is celebrated by all the major Indian religions, though with different interpretations of the festivities associated with the coming of the new year. Creating rangoli – auspicious patterns and pictures – is common during Indian festivals, as signs of welcome and auspiciousness. Traditionally made of coloured rice or powder, rangoli range from simple shapes to highly intricate designs that take days to complete. This 2006 photo is found on the Flickr website.
- Re-enactment of the story of Candanabālā
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This slideshow displays the re-enactment of the story of Candanabālā, who offered Mahāvīra appropriate food to break his fast. Sold into slavery, the beautiful princess has her lovely hair chopped off and is starved for three days. Even so, her first act when released is to offer alms to a passing mendicant. He is Mahāvīra, who becomes the 24th Jina, and he has been fasting for nearly six months. Candanabālā’s act of selfless charity despite her suffering causes her hair to be restored and her true identity revealed. The story of this virtuous woman – one of the soḷa satī – emphasises the importance of offering alms correctly. Acting out such stories is an important part of many Jain festivals. This re-enactment on YouTube was performed by Śvetāmbara Jains in Melbourne, Australia during the festival of Paryuṣaṇ in 2010.
- Recipe for Jain gravy
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As well as being vegetarians, Jains traditionally do not eat onions or garlic as they are believed to hold numerous souls. This 2009 video on YouTube offers a recipe for Jain gravy, which forms the basis of many curries used in Jain homes.
- Recipe for matar paneer
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Jains are traditionally vegetarian because they do not wish to eat things that have souls. As well as meat, fish and eggs, this includes onions and garlic, because they are believed to hold numerous souls. This 2010 YouTube video offers a recipe for a Jain version of the popular Indian dish of muttar paneer.
- Relief of Brahmā
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A wall carving of Brahmadeva or Brahmayakṣa on the Jain Heritage Centres website. The yakṣa male attendant deity – of the tenth Jina, Śītala, the god Brahmā is believed to guard temples. He is frequently depicted riding a horse and holding weapons that help him to protect the temple.
https://www.jainheritagecentres.com/jainism-in-india/karnataka/manchenahalli/
- Report of Ahimsa Day 2008
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The Institute of Jainology in the UK provides a report of the 2008 Ahimsa Day in London, held in Portcullis House, annexe of the House of Commons.
- Report of Ahimsa Day 2009
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The Institute of Jainology in the UK provides an illustrated report of the 2009 Ahimsa Day in London, held in Portcullis House, annexe of the House of Commons.
- Report of Ahimsa Day 2010
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The Institute of Jainology in the UK provides an illustrated report of the 2010 Ahimsa Day in London, held in the House of Commons.
- Report of Ahimsa Day 2011
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The Institute of Jainology in the UK provides an illustrated report of the 2011 Ahimsa Day in London, held in the House of Commons. The theme was Climate Change and the Contemporary World. There are also links to the texts in PDF of some of the speeches and poems read out during the evening.
You will need Adobe Reader to open PDF files.
- Report of Supreme Court decision to uphold Paryuṣaṇ ban
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IBN Live news website reports the 2008 ruling of the Supreme Court of India to uphold the decision of the state government of Gujarat to ban the operation of slaughterhouses, butchers and fisheries during the festival of Paryuṣaṇ. The 2008 article includes a video of the television news report, which features a phone interview with the legal correspondent in New Delhi. He explains the history of the legal case and possible wider applications of the ruling throughout India.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/gujarat-meat-eaters-can-abstain-out-of-respect-sc/61275-3.html
- Report on preparations for the 2006 anointing of Bāhubali
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In this article entitled ‘Ascetic grandeur’, Jangveer Singh reports on preparations for the 2006 ‘great head-anointing ceremony’ – mahā-mastakābhiṣeka – of the enormous statue of Bāhubali at Shravana Belgola in Karnataka. Dated 22 January 2006, this article appears in Spectrum, the Sunday magazine of the Tribune newspaper, based in Chandigarh, India.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060122/spectrum/main4.htm
- Restoring a Jain paṭa
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The National Museum of Scotland provides details of restoration carried out on a 19th-century wall-hanging – paṭa – of the Jain triple world. A slideshow of photographs of the conservation process and some of the results is also offered.
- Royal Asiatic Society
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Based in London, the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland dates back to 1823, when it was founded to assist scholarly investigation into the history, cultures, religions and languages of Asia. The society has a large library, including an extensive manuscript collection, organises seminars and lectures, and publishes a journal three times a year.
- R̥ṣabha and Indra
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A manuscript painting in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art shows Indra, king of the gods, taking the infant R̥ṣabhanātha or Lord R̥ṣabha, the first Jina, to Mount Meru for his ritual bath. The decorated elephant and canopy symbolise royalty while the lotus flowers are emblems of spiritual purity. The gods around blow trumpets and conches in celebration. A very popular Jain hymn of praise, the Bhaktāmara-stotra has been translated into many languages and illustrated numerous times.
- Ṛṣabha, attendants and Jinas
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This black stone figure of the first Jina, Ṛṣabhanātha or Lord Ṛṣabha, dates from the 12th century. The standing image is surrounded by the other 23 Jinas and his yakṣa and yakṣī – attendant deities.
The photograph can be enlarged and zoomed in to examine the piece in more detail. The photo and a short audio description are on the website of the auction house Christie's.
- R̥ṣabha’s ritual bath
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The Los Angeles County Museum of Art provides a manuscript illustration of the lustration or ritual bath of R̥ṣabhanātha or Lord R̥ṣabha, the first Jina. A very popular Jain hymn of praise, the Bhaktāmara-stotra has been translated into many languages and illustrated numerous times.
http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=72260;type=101
- Rubin Museum of Art – Victorious Ones: Jain Images of Perfection
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The Rubin Museum of Art in New York provides information about the major exhibition called Victorious Ones: Jain Images of Perfection' it staged from 18 September 2009 to 15 February 2010.