A Gujarat businessman and his wife have gained attention by giving away their entire lifetime earnings (running in billions of dollars). Bhavesh Bhai Bhandari and his wife, living in Himmatnagar, Sabarkantha district of Gujarat state have decided to live as monks, leaving behind all material luxuries.
The choice has surprised many, sparking discussions on social media. Bhavesh Bhai Bhandari, who comes from a well-off family in Sabarkantha, had a privileged upbringing. He worked in the construction industry, managing projects in both Sabarkantha and Ahmedabad.
The Bhandari family has strong ties with the Jain community and often interacts with monks and devotees. Now, both Bhavesh Bhai and his wife have decided to live a simple life without any luxuries like fans, air conditioners, or mobile phones.
Their children, a 16-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter, chose to become monks in 2022, which inspired Bhavesh Bhai and his wife to do the same.
In a big procession in Himmatnagar, the Bhandari couple, along with 35 others, promised to live a disciplined life.
According to reports, they will officially embrace a life of renunciation at the Himmatnagar Riverfront on April 22.
The 9-year-old who gave up material comforts
A wealthy diamond merchant’s nine-year-old daughter in Gujarat became a monk last year, giving up material comforts.
Devanshi, the elder of Dhanesh and Ami Sanghvi’s two daughters, took ‘diksha’ in the presence of Jain monk Acharya Vijay Kirtiyashsuri and hundreds of others at a venue in Vesu locality of Surat, as per a family associate.
Her father owns Sanghvi and Sons, a diamond polishing and export firm in Surat that has been operating for nearly three decades.
The girl showed interest in spiritual life from a young age. She even walked about 700 km with other monks and adopted their lifestyle before officially becoming a monk, according to her family.
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(With inputs from agencies)
