From the archive record
In Jainism, Mahavir Jayanti, also known as Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, is the most important religious holiday. It celebrates the birth of Mahavira, the last Tirthankara. On the Gregorian calendar, the holiday occurs either in March or April. He was born on the thirteenth day of the rising moon of Chaitra. The chronology accepted by all Jains places Mahavir's birth in 599 BCE. Mahavira was born into royalty as the son of King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala. During pregnancy, Trishala was believed to have had a number of auspicious dreams, all signifying the coming of a great leader. The exact number of dreams differs according to the school of Jainism; Svetambaras generally believe that the actual number is fourteen while Digambaras claim sixteen instead. Regardless, the astrologers that interp