BCAS Vice President CA Chirag Doshi’s Message for the Month of September 2022

GOD IS ONLINE

India is a land of religions and a God-believing country with more than 30 million Gods / Devas being prayed. Traditional festivals have two aspects. One is worship which is performed according to norms of the specific religion, and another is culture based. Festivals represent our unity and encourage social bonding.

August and September are considered the month of festivities, where the people celebrate many different religious festivals like Janmashtami, Paryushan, Ganesh Chaturthi and Onam.

Janmashtami

Janmashtami is the birthday of lord Krishna which is celebrated with great enthusiasm and adventure all over the country. The belief is that lord Vishnu reincarnated in the form of Lord Krishna on the day of Janmashtami.

The Gita which is a narrative framework of a dialogue between Arjuna and his guide Lord Krishna. Few of the verses in the Bhagavad-Gita which can be imbibed by every professional:

1. Concentrate on your work don’t worry about the result (dedication)
2. Do not be afraid (trust your capabilities)
3. Do not doubt (do not doubt your capabilities)
4. Always keep control (helps in making the right decisions)
5. Do not run away from responsibility (take ownership of your work)
6. You are born empty-handed you have to leave this earth empty-handed (contribute to society)
7. Greed is destructive (be true to yourself and your work)
8. Experience is a hard teacher (chose your profile wisely)

Paryushan

Paryushan is another festival of forgiveness and compassion of Jainism. People practice Pratikraman when they seek forgiveness for their sins which they may have committed knowingly or unknowingly. People say “Micchhami Dukkadam” which means to seek forgiveness for any wrong deed he/she may have committed consciously or unconsciously.

The goal of this festival is to attain salvation and follow the right path with the following few principles for living a better life:

1. Live and let others leave – Ahimsa (non-violence) which also gave birth to the Satyagraha movement of Mahatma Gandhi
2. Healthy life – Avoid eating after sunset / Night and Intermittent fasting
3. Samayika – 48 minutes of meditative practice
4. Fasting – helps cleanse our souls and win over our senses
5. Cardio workout – Jain monks walk everywhere every time leading to faster digestion, stress reduction, low blood sugar levels etc.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Vinayaka Chavithi, is an auspicious Hindu festival which is celebrated for 10 days every year. Lord Ganesha is known as the God of wealth, knowledge, wisdom and prosperity. People over the world remember him and seek his blessings before starting any important work.

Onam

Onam is a festival celebrated in Kerala and some other states. It is an official festival of the Kerala state celebrated to mark the visit of the Great King Mahabali every year and is also celebrated to mark the harvest season in Kerala.

Festivals are known to generate wealth and employment, which is measured by the amount of income generated through sales of articles, spending on vacations, wages and infrastructure. Every such event tends to help small entrepreneurs, artisans, local retail outlets and other businesses.

The economic impact of this spending is that it generates significant income and employment opportunities for the region.

Festivals not only bring a feeling of being rooted in our culture but also helps in economic development through various means.