BILKULONLINE
Ahmedabad, July 29: Darshanaben Shah, a devout 74-year-old Jain, has approached the Supreme Court, seeking urgent intervention to protect the sanctity of Shikharji Hills, the most sacred pilgrimage site for Jains. A Division Bench headed by Justice CT Ravi Kumar is set to hear her application on July 31.
Shikharji Hills, located in Jharkhand’s Giridih district, is the Nirvana Bhoomi of 20 Tirthankars and numerous Sadhaks. The hills, purchased by Jains in 1918, were taken over by the State of Bihar (now in Jharkhand) in 1953 under the pretext of land and agrarian reforms. Since then, the sanctity of the hills has been under severe threat, leading to a legal battle spanning over six decades.
The application, settled by Senior Advocates Darius Khambata and Gopal Sankaranarayanan, seeks an injunction against the Jharkhand government from proceeding with eco-tourism projects, constructing a ropeway, and erecting structures on Parasnath Hill. It also seeks to prevent activities deemed sacrilegious by Jain tradition, ensuring the hill’s religious character is preserved.
Spiritual leader Jainacharya Yugbhushansuri emphasized the grave injustice faced by the Jain community, stating, “In the history of independent India, no other community has faced the injustice that Jains have faced for their significant religious place.”
The prolonged legal struggle, which reached the Supreme Court in 2005, has led to numerous activities violating Jain scriptures, including animal sacrifices, non-vegetarian food consumption, and tourism. These activities have been exacerbated by secular encroachments, such as the establishment of schools serving non-vegetarian meals, New Year celebrations, and construction of polling booths, helipads, and military barracks on the hills.
Darshanaben Shah’s petition comes in response to recent promotions by the Jharkhand government’s tourism department, which advertised the beauty and serenity of Shikharji Hills to attract tourists, further upsetting the Jain community.
Expressing the community’s sentiment, Jain devotee Siddharth Bagadia said, “Shikharji means more to Jains than what Ayodhya means to Hindus, Mecca to Muslims, the Golden Temple to Sikhs, and Jerusalem to Abrahamic religions.”
Lajesh Khona, another devotee, expressed shock at the state’s actions, especially after commitments to preserve the hills’ sanctity.
Darshanaben Shah has also undertaken a remarkable spiritual vow to protect the sanctity of the Tirth, practicing an extraordinary feat of abstinence by refraining from food for three days and eating on the fourth day, a cycle she has maintained for 30 years.
His Holiness, the 79th successor to Tirthankar Mahavir Swami, pointed to the root cause of these issues, stating that state interference in religious matters is detrimental to a balanced society and alien to Bharatiya tradition.
As the hearing date approaches, the Jain community hopes for a swift and just resolution to restore and protect the sanctity of Shikharji Hills for future generations.