Navpad Oli (Ayambil Oli): Jain community worship "Upadhyaya" Pad on the fourth day

Jaipur, India, October 17, 2010

This is the fourth day of Navpad Oli (Ayambil Oli). Jain community worship

"Upadhyaya" which also means Pathak on the fourth day of this nine days' festival.

Navpad Oli (Ayambil Oli) starts from October 14

This is Ashwin Shukla Dasami, tenth day of full moon fortnight in the month of Ashwin in Indian lunar calendar, October 14, 2010.

This day is celebrated as Vijaya Dasami or Dasahara among Hindu communities.

Jainism gives lot of importance to Navpad and Navpad Oli.

Upadhyaya:

Upadhyaya is the fourth post in Navpad and placed in the lower side of Arihant in Siddhachakra Yantra. He is the second among Guru Tatva. He is supposed to know all Jain Agams, eleven Anga and fourteen Purva twenty five et al. These are his twenty five attributes. He is responsible for academic activities in The Sangha. He preaches and teaches Monks and Nuns. He is like a lieutenant and minister of Acharya. Some sacred Jain scriptures depict him as Prince in the kingdom of Acharya.

Jain followers worship Upadhyaya Pada in Shukla Dasami, the fourth day of Navapad Oli. They perform Ayambil by eating boiled Mung only. Color of Upadhyaya is green, hence the grain chosen for Ayambil is green i.e. Mung. They also pray, worship and meditate for Upadhyaya during the day.

Read more in

Jain Festival of India: Navpad Oli (Ayambil) in Jainism

Jain people observe "Ayambil", a typical form of Jain fast during these nine days of Navpad Oli. They will use "Mung" for observing Ayambil today.