Mandar Mhatre

MUMBAI: In a rare instance, a 19-year-old Maharashtrian youth has decided to take Diksha at a grand renunciation ceremony in Dombivli on April 27. Community members told TOI that while Diksha by non-Jain Gujaratis is not uncommon, they have not heard of a Maharashtrian choosing the path of renunciation, at least in recent years.Diksha is preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony to renounce worldly life for an ascetic one.Mandar Mhatre, who has been practising Jainism for four years now, said his life was transformed ever since he came in contact with Guru Pujya Abhayshekhar Suri Maharaj Saheb in 2014.“I was introduced to Guruji by a Jain neighbour. Guruji was visiting a Jain temple in Dombivali for Chaturmas (a holy period of four months from July to October). I began to go to the Jain temple to hear his sermons. After a few days, I did not feel like returning home from the temple,” said Mhatre, an only child who currently lives with his parents in Tukaram Nagar, Dombivali. The family belongs to the Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathare (SKP) community.The Class X passout from Chandrakant Patkar Vidyalaya in Dombivali, who scored 75% in his SSC exam, is a Jain scholar today.Mandar has learnt the ways of an ascetic life, studied texts and knows them by heart. He said that Guruji guided him in his study of religious texts and also taught him the basics of becoming a monk.Recently, he completed the Siddhi tap—a 44-day fast during the monsoon. For 36 of the 44 days, those who fast survive on just boiled water from 9.30am to 6.45pm. After the first day of complete fasting, there is a 24-hour break. The number of total fasting days increase by one until the next break. This goes on till an eight-day complete fasting stretch is achieved.Mandar has also travelled on foot with his Guruji as part of his training.“I used to eat non-vegetarian food earlier. But now everyone else in my family has turned vegetarian too,” said Mandar told TOI.The functions that precede the Diksha will begin on Sunday. Mandar said he is ready for his new life and feels blessed to have been able to achieve this. “It is a difficult way of life, but not impossible,” he said.Suhas Mhatre, Mandar’s father who works as a techinician in a company in Thane, said initially he was apprehensive. “I told Mandar that it’s okay to visit the Jain temple and hear sermons but the way of life of a Jain monk is very difficult and may not be possible for him to bear,” said Suhas. But Mandar managed to convince his parents that this was the only path that would give him happiness.“Every parent wants the best for his child and nothing can be better than this. We are all very happy with his choice and have supported him throughout his journey so far and will always do so,” said Suhas and added that the entire Mhatre family will participate in his Diksha ceremony.Read this story in Marathi