Other States - Rajasthan   

Maharashtra police trace missing `miracle' sadhvi

Special Correspondent

Found in her disciple's home in Sangli town, both want to start a new life as man and wife

JAIPUR: The Maharashtra police have solved the mystery of a Jain sadhvi (female ascetic) from Rajasthan turning to a heap of ashes (bhasma) and bones in her room in Amravati this past weekend. Coming in the wake of a series of cases of "santhara" in the Jain community, an instance of the sadhvi turning to ashes had emerged a matter of concern for both the believers and the authorities here.

According to information reaching here, the sadhvi, 20-year-old Siddh Kanwar, who had taken "deeksha" (renunciation) in February 2000 in Jodhpur at the age of 14, was traced to the residence of her "sevak" (disciple) Rajnikant Talvare at Sangli town in Maharastra on Tuesday. Rajnikant, a second year degree student who was in police custody for the past two days, reportedly spilt the beans on interrogation. The sadhvi has been taken into custody.

Siddh Kanwar, formerly Samata, was found missing from her room at the Jain Shravak Sangh in Amravati on Saturday evening.

Those who looked for her in the room found a heap of ashes and some bones. The news was spread that through divine power she had turned herself into ashes and bones.

Even as the senior religious functionaries at the Shravak Sangh and the community at large were divided over the possibilities of a "chamatkar" (miracle) of this kind— as it is unheard in Jain tradition that any religious person turns into ashes--the sadhvi's family in Ramgarh village of Ajmer district's Masuda block had a harrowing time dealing with the situation.

It was Rajnikant who had spread the rumours of a "chamatkar" in the disappearance of the sadhvi. He had reportedly kept the ashes and the bones with the knowledge of the sadhvi before spiriting her out of the cloistered environs of the "Sharavak Sangh" to his residence in the Mangal Mata Apartments in Sangli. The act had seemingly the support of Rajnikant's mother and sister.

The police are now busy solving a minor mystery, which formed part of the bigger plot. How does one account for the bones found in the room?

They have sent the ashes and the bones to Nagpur for forensic studies. Sources point out that there is a cremation ground in the neighbourhood of the Shravak Sangh.

Rajnikant and Samata now want to start a new life, as man and wife, and that should have been the end of it.

However, the family of Babulal Khabia in Ramgarh village is silent over the issue.

The Jain community generally does not take too kindly to anyone opting out of nun-hood.

The family members say that they would go by whatever the community decides in the matter.

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