Karanthai (Tamil Nadu), Feb 21, 2017: Pancha Kalyana, is a traditional Jain ritual where the basic principles of Jainism are celebrated, here the five stages in the life of a Tirthankara- conception, birth, renunciation, enlightenment and liberation are celebrated over a period of five days.

Jainism has a history of 5000 years, believed to have it's beginning around 3000 BC. In India there are 4.5 million Jains, mostly concentrated in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharastra. There are about 89,000 Jains in the state of Tamil Nadu.

In Karanthai, a village in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu, Pancha Kalyana is being celebrated, where the attainment of absolute knowledge by Kunthunath, the 17th Tirthankara of Jainism is commemorated according to TNN report.

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Only about a couple of Jain temples in Tamil Nadu have Kunthunath as the main deity, most temples have Adinath the first Tirthankara and Mahavira the 24th and the last Tirthankara as the main deities.

On the fifth or the final day of this festival, a big celebration takes place, as the Tirthankara gets liberation on the 5th day, and liberation is the most important stage of one's life according to Jain tradition.

– by Upama Bhattacharya of NewsGram. Twitter @Upama_myself