The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Crorepati couple, 13-year old boy among 35 in Gujarat who begin initiation into monkhood
A CRICKET buff and fan of M S Dhoni, 13-year-old Het Shah is set to shun his tiny world of school, friends, cricket and his parents to become a monk.
He was among the 35 people from various parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra who began the “ceremony of initiation” on Thursday at a specially built 'Adhyatma Nagri' (spiritual city) on the Sabarmati Riverfront and will take diksha from Acharya Shree Vijay Yogtilaksuriji, who gave up a career as a chartered accountant to become a monk.
The first one to become a Jain monk in the family, the Class IX student said, "I like the fact that from the time we wake up till we retire for the day, we all stay together unlike school where we meet for 6 to 7 hours and then separate.”
“He would tell us that M S Dhoni and I will retire at the same time,”saidhet'sfathermayurbhai Shah, a banker in Surat. He added that they were prepared when they left Het for updhana tap, “so this did not come as a shock.”
Meanwhile, a multi millionnaire from Himmatnagar, Bhavesh Bhandari (46), who owns Simandhar Finance, and his wife Jinal (43), are also renouncing the world, inspired by their teenage children. The couple's children – a son aged 19 and daughter aged 16 years – became monks along with 72 others in Surat in 2021.
Bhavesh said he "consulted" his 19-year-old son before taking the decision. “They became the engineandwetheircoaches.iwas not too sure when I should take diksha but my son inspired me...”
Bhavesh has been preparing for this day since the last one year, relieving himself of all his financial assets. “After April 22, I would not be able to sign any document, so I have transferred everything to my 73-year-old father and 49year-old elder brother,” he added.
The event in Ahmedabad, scheduled from April 18 to 22, will witness 15 men and 20 women between 11 and 56 years years of age – 10 below the age of 18, five couples, one entire family with three members and several siblings – shun worldly lives.