Hyderabad: 1,008 Jain women come together to chant ancient Namoththunam hymn

A total of 1,008 Jain women gathered for a special Namoththunam chanting programme in Hyderabad. Participants said the ancient hymn teaches devotees to admire qualities such as wisdom, humility and self-control, while encouraging people to choose worthy role models.

Hyderabad: A unique religious programme with a strong contemporary and social message was held, with 1,008 Jain women coming together to chant Namoththunam, an ancient Jain hymn of reverence.

According to Swarup Chand Kothari, Chairman, Shri Vardhaman Sthanakvasi Jain Shravak Sangh, Greater Hyderabad, Namoththunam is an ancient Jain sutra and hymn of reverence. “It is a prayer through which devotees offer obeisance to the Arihants and celebrate the qualities that make them spiritually elevated. Namoththunam teaches us whom to admire—and, more importantly, why,” he said.

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The deeper idea behind the prayer, participants explained, is that reverence is not merely about admiring an individual but about recognising the qualities that make that person worthy of admiration.

Raksh Jain, one of the 1,008 participants, said, “Before we choose our heroes, perhaps we should first understand the qualities that make someone worthy of being a role model.

Supriya Bhalgat, a Data Scientist, explained that the prayer celebrates qualities such as self-control, wisdom, humility, and freedom from negative passions. Smitha Jain, a Nutritionist, said, “Namoththunam takes this idea of admiration to a spiritual level. It teaches us to bow before those who have conquered their inner enemies.”