Oswal family to become ascetics, surrendering assets worth crores:Couple and their two children to become Jain saints at Palitana; Diksha ceremony scheduled for 16 Jan

The Oswal family living in Anand Nagar, Narsinghpur, is being discussed these days. The reason is that the family’s younger daughter has decided to become a Jain saint, renouncing worldly life along with her husband and both children. Under the ritual of becoming a Jain saint, she had come to Narsinghpur to meet her brothers. After the final meeting with relatives, they left with their family for the pilgrimage site of Palitana (Bhavnagar) in Gujarat. Here, on January 16, 2026, businessman Dinesh Kankaria, along with his wife Anamika, son Vidhan, and daughter Harshita, will take initiation as saints. Looking at sister and family photos whenever time permits
After bidding farewell to his sister for the second time, elder brother Atul Oswal’s mind seems somewhat lost. Amidst a slight smile on his face, his eyelashes get wet. Whether at the shop or at home, whenever he gets even a little time, he starts looking at photos of his sister, brother-in-law, and niece-nephew on his mobile. When Dainik Bhaskar’s team reached out to meet him, he was looking at photos of his sister and her family on his mobile. He says – She is the only sister among us three brothers. Anamika was younger than me. Akhilesh and Anil are the two younger brothers. We played, studied, and grew up together. I had the fortune of bidding farewell to my sister twice. First time as a bride and second time as a daughter. Anamika wanted to become sadhvi since childhood Anamika wanted to become a sadhvi since childhood. But parents did not give permission. In 1998, she married Dinesh Kankariya from Dhule, Maharashtra. They have property worth crores of rupees there. Anamika had three children. Son Vidhan is a Chartered Accountant student. Niece Harshita is a doctor. The younger daughter took sanyasi initiation five years ago. Now the family has decided to become sanyasis, renouncing property worth about four to five crores. Atul Oswal says that we are Shwetambar Jains. In our society, there is a tradition that before taking monastic initiation, certain commitments need to be fulfilled. For this, Anamika, along with her family, had come from Maharashtra to Sri Munisuvrat Swami Jain Shwetambar Temple for the initiation ceremony. She had a desire to become a monk since childhood. This is not the result of any particular incident, but rather the outcome of her strong willpower and consent from her husband, children, and family. She believed that life is not limited to just material achievements, but attaining spiritual peace and truth is the supreme goal. Until January 15, 2026, they will remain part of our family. During this time, they will visit and spend time with all relatives. On January 16, 2026, when they take their initiation, they will become ascetics and saints for us, and then we cannot even call them our sisters. As they will be for other people, so they will be for us. How the feeling of detachment came Anamika says that she was attracted to monastic life since childhood, but time and circumstances kept her bound in family life. Rather than any specific turning point, this is a result of strong willpower and consent from husband, children, and family. She says that we realized life is not limited to just material achievements, but attaining spiritual peace and truth is the supreme goal. Behind this decision is not just one person’s feeling, but the family’s shared spiritual consciousness. First in 2022, daughter Harshita took initiation and chose the path of self-realization as Sadhvi Shashwat Nidhi. After her initiation, the feeling of detachment grew deeper within other family members. Preparations before initiation Before initiation, the family fulfilled their worldly responsibilities. The business arrangements were handed over to other family members. Moving away from all life’s comforts, they focused on spiritual practice. Anamika says that before initiation, one needs to concentrate the mind so that the effects of attachment or greed do not remain in the future. Strict daily routine of Jain monks There are two sects in Jainism – Shwetambar and Digambar. Shwetambar monks and nuns wear only thin cotton clothes on their bodies. Jain monks and nuns live life by separating themselves from social and worldly activities. Monks and nuns of both Shwetambar and Digambar sects live a strict life after taking initiation, in which they do not use material and comfortable resources. What life is like after taking initiation After taking initiation, meaning entering monastic life, Jain monks and nuns’ lives become balanced and disciplined. After sunset, Jain monks and nuns do not consume even a drop of water or a grain of food. Even after sunrise, these people wait for about 48 minutes before drinking water. Jain monks and nuns never bathe After taking initiation, Jain monks and nuns never bathe because they consider their bodies temporary and mortal. They believe that purification and sanctity of the soul are only possible through meditation, penance, and knowledge, not through cleaning the body. Therefore, they do not bathe. Another reason is that they believe bathing would endanger the lives of microscopic organisms. However, to prevent body odor, they wipe their body with a damp cloth every few days. Why is its craze increasing among youth In recent years, a large number of young children and youth have been initiated into Jainism every year. What is the reason for this? Though everyone’s reasons may be different, the root cause is the same. Each of them believes that they had been feeling restless for quite some time. Material comforts were not providing the happiness they were searching for. That’s why they decided to renounce worldly impermanence to live a simple life and dedicate themselves to divine devotion.