Chaturmas

Chaturmas (Choumassa) lasts for a period of four months which include the months of Shravan, Bhadrapad, Ashwin, and Kartik. These months are the monsoon months during which all Jain monks and nuns halt their travels and stay at a temple, monastery, or residence, observing specific vows and disciplines. There are three principle reasons for this:

• Travel Difficulties: During this time, traveling becomes difficult due to floods, bad roads, and other obstacles for travelling on foot.
• Reducing Violence: Not traveling during Chaturmas reduces the possibility of harming various life forms that proliferate during these months.
• Community Engagement: Monks and nuns remain in closer contact with the community providing an ideal opportunity for the lay person to participate in religious teachings, discourses and sermons; partake in meditation, and practice self-discipline.

As per religious principles, these four months are dedicated to vows, spiritual practices, and penance. During these months, the householders also known as Shravaks & Shravikas strictly observe religious discipline, and take advantage of spiritual discourses with their gurus and acharyas, to gain a deeper understanding of Jainism. An effort is also made to curtail idle conversations, irrelevant talk and control emotions like anger, jealousy, and pride.