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The protests led by Jain monks - who regard the consumption and slaughter of animal-people as direct violations of nonviolence – began in the early 2010s. Initially, they targeted approximately 250 butcher shops near the sacred temples. In 2014, the movement intensified when nearly 200 Jain monks undertook a collective hunger strike, drawing widespread national media attention and strong public support. This, in turn, prompted intervention by the Gujarat state government and the Palitana municipality. The monks called for the closure of the butcher shops, a ban on slaughter, and the enforcement of vegetarianism to preserve the purity of the pilgrimage site.In August 2014, the Palitana Municipal Council implemented the ban. Then, in February 2015, authorities issued official orders closing butcher shops and prohibiting the sale of animal-people meat and eggs, as well as the slaughter of animal-people, with penalties to be imposed for violations. The decision explicitly cited “respect for the Jain community’s sentiments.”Palitana’s ban on non-vegetarian food was the direct result of grassroots Jain activism. This nonviolent campaign demonstrated how faith-inspired efforts can influence public policy in India – and potentially beyond. Since then, Palitana has been recognized as the world’s first vegetarian city.The esteemed Jain monk Jainacharya Shri Uday Vallabh Suriji (vegetarian) from Palitana continues to share the reasons for the non-veg ban legislation, which is supported by modern science.I can recommend the “BIS theory,” also known as the “Bajaj, Ibrahim, and Singh (BIS) theory” or the “theory of pain waves.” The theory is primarily detailed in their book, “Ethology of Earthquakes: A New Approach,” published in 1995. The core principles suggest that natural disasters are not solely the result of geological process but are also under the influence of biological and vibrational factors. When we slaughter any living being, or when a slaughter takes place, the screams coming from the being’s mouth, the violent trembling that happens in its body, and the excruciating pain that it experiences releases some waves, that are known as Einsteinian Pain Waves (EPW). And these released waves, through their impact and reverberation, cause the rocks beneath the surface to shake, and this is the primary reason for earthquakes. They have extended this theory to point out that it could go even beyond a nation’s borders, stating that if a slaughter house is located within 200 to 300 kilometers of a nation’s border, then its impact can spread to the adjacent country as well. Such a theory has even been formulated. The point is that there are numerous ideologies and perspectives today that provide strong evidence and support for the view that mass killing or slaughter must stop, and it must end.Acharya Udayvallabh Maharaj also recommends embracing non-absolutism to gain a more inclusive outlook and build harmony. “Harmony” lies at the heart of Jainism for the true happiness.I would say living without inflicting any harm to one’s own soul, to the bodies and minds of others, or to nature as a whole – that is Jainism.What Acharya Udayvallabh Maharaj has described – the idea that nature possesses souls and that pain waves have negative effects – resonates deeply with the truths shared through the gentle stories of our Beloved Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan). The “theory of pain waves” also aligns with this understanding. Supreme Master Ching Hai can even sense the subtle pain plants experience during harvest. For this reason, Master has compiled a list of pain/no-pain foods.Acharya Udayvallabh Maharaj’s call for an end to violence worldwide is what we need.We should step back from this cycle of killing. And not just in Palitana, not just in Gujarat, not just in India, but everywhere. Let a movement of nonviolence be spread, and let the wave of violence cease.We could not agree more, Acharya Udayvallabh Maharaj. The Earth itself should be made holy – just as the City of Palitana is.
