Jainists nourish their spirituality as fast ends

Ashok Savla is joyful as he is surrounded by well-wishers before breaking his 45-day fast for Paryushan, the most important Jain holiday of the year. He was at the Jain Center of Southern California in Buena Park on Saturday. His wife, Harshona, is beside him.

MINDY SCHAUER , STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

BUENA PARK Before Saturday, Ashok Savla had not had a thing to eat for 45 days.

Not one crumb.

Only water from sunup to sundown, he said. Nothing at night.

I feel great, Savla said, sitting at an oblong table in an auditorium at the Jain Center of Southern California.

Hundreds of his fellow congregants lined up to pay him homage.

I feel like I achieved what I wanted to ... I wanted to go within myself.

Fellow Jainists dropped dollar bills on his table and fed Savla spoonfulls of sugar water and light broth. They did the same for the 50-plus members of the Jain Center who had fasted for at least eight days as part of Paryushan, an eight-day holy period that ended Friday night.

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Jainists nourish their spirituality as fast ends