International

oi-Prakash KL

Washington, September 20: US President Joe Biden greeted the Jain community on the closing day of the Paryushan and Das Lakshan Festival. Over 150,000 Jains live in the United States, which constitutes the largest population of the community outside of India.

“Jill and I send our best wishes to the Jains in the United States and around the world who concluded the Paryushan and Das Lakshan festivals,” Biden said in a Facebook post. “In this time of introspection and forgiveness, may we all find peace and reconciliation in our lives. Michhami Dukkadam and Uttam Kshama!” he said.

Paryushana is an eight to ten day annual period of fasting and meditation for Jain worshipers. Das Lakshan, on the other hand, is a 10-day festival that takes place directly after Paryushana. The Jain community in the United States hailed the message from the US president.

South Asian community leader Ajay Bhutoria in a statement thanked Biden for welcoming the Jain community to their festival. “Today, for the first time in US history, a sitting US president hailed the Jain festivals of Paryushan and Das Lakshan and issued a brief and meaningful message on their conclusion,” said Vaibhav Jain, Senior Advisor on American Asians and Pacific Islanders. (AAPI) outreach team in the Biden campaign. Acharya Lokesh Muni in a statement also welcomed the greetings sent by the US president. PTI LKJ SCY SCY

Article first published: Monday, September 20, 2021, 10:36 PM [IST]