Relinquishing a million dollar fortune from the family diamond trading business and other precious stones, 8-year-old Devanshi Sanghvi decided to be nunwith her parents’ blessings.
Until a few days ago, the 8-year-old was the heir to the Sanghvi & Sons business based in the city of Surat in the state of Gujarat of India. Surat is popularly known as the ‘city of diamonds’ for its position in the global trade of precious stones.
However, Devanshi Sanghvi decided to renounce her property and choose the ascetic life of Jain monks.
Her family consists of Jains (s.s. who claim to follow the ancient Indian religion from which the Brahmins deviated). Jainism preaches asceticism, non-violence, strict vegetarianism and love for all creatures. Devancy’s parents said she was looking forward to becoming a nun.
On Wednesday the 8-year-old visited a temple, where exchanged her expensive clothes for a simple cotton cloak, after first shaving her head.
Wanting to underline her piety, a devotee who attended the ceremony told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) and as relayed by the Athens News Agency that “Devancy has never seen television (…) she has never been to cinemas, restaurants and malls”.
THE Jainism has over 4 million followers in India, many of whom come from affluent communities. However, this particular religion is criticized for some of its practices, particularly the very strict fasting.
A 13-year-old girl died in 2016 in Hyderabad during a two-month penitential fast, during which she was only allowed to drink water twice a day. The 13-year-old’s parents were accused of forcing her to fast and faced a manslaughter charge.
Source: News Beast
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