Paryusana in Leicester, 1980

Summary

In this report, R. Kleifgen describes how the 1980 Paryuṣaṇa festival was celebrated at the newly established Jain Centre in Leicester, England. Paryuṣaṇa literally means ‘coming together from all directions’, symbolising both the soul’s transformation and the sense of unity with all life. At Leicester the festival indeed brought people from across the world: Gurudeva Śrī Chitrabhanu, a well‑known Jain teacher now based in New York, travelled to lead the ceremonies along with his wife Pramodaben and three American students who taught meditation, yoga and led musical programmes. Participants arrived from India, France, Brazil and elsewhere; the large crowds included many families of East African–Indian origin who had settled in Britain. Kleifgen explains that Paryuṣaṇa involves two aspects—perfecting oneself through introspection and communion with all living beings. The programme at Leicester included daily meditation, lectures on Jain philosophy, devotional singing, fasting, charity and communal meals. Gurudeva emphasised universal principles such as ahimsa (non‑violence), aparigraha (non‑possession) and anekāntavāda (the doctrine of manifold viewpoints) as well as the three jewels of right faith, knowledge and conduct. The festival concluded with kṣamāvaṇī day, when participants asked forgiveness from one another. Kleifgen notes that despite Leicester’s industrial setting, the Jain community has thrived; the city’s population is about twenty percent Indian and the Leicester Jain Samaj is active in religious and cultural life. Paryuṣaṇa 1980 demonstrated that Jain festivals can adapt to diaspora conditions while retaining their spiritual essence.