Mumbai: In a first for Mumbai, a young college graduate, who has decided to renounce the world and accept monkhood, was felicitated by her college. The professors and the students bid farewell to the former student who will step into a new life leaving all the worldly affairs behind.

Parshvi Gandhi (23), who recently graduated from the KJ Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, will embrace complete detachment from the world as she will attain diksha, the ritual through which an individual formally takes vow to lead a life of asceticism in Jainism. As she prepares to drape a new fabric of life, her college organised a special event to felicitate and bid their last farewell to their student before she renounces the world.

On Saturday, professors as well as current and former students of KJ Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, felicitated Gandhi at an event organised by the Gujarati Sahitya Mandal, the official cultural club of the college’s Gujarati Department. While the students performed religious and cultural songs of Gandhi’s liking, she shared her life’s journey and the important milestones in her life that led her to the path of becoming a nun at such a young age. The ‘soon-to-be’ nun distributed presents to the students as a part of varshidaan ceremony, an act of sublime charity to distribute one’s complete wealth before taking on to monkhood.

“As a child I always used to run away from religious gatherings and rituals but being a member of a religious family, I had to follow all the customs anyhow. Slowly I got attracted towards religious matters and my belief grew so strong that I had decided after Class 10 that I will take up the spiritual path with sacred commitment. However, I completed my graduation and by that time I was prepared and I proved that I was ready for this new role,” said Gandhi.

Gandhi was afraid that her involvement in co-curricular and extra curricular activities would weaken her determination of embracing diksha. Therefore she used to keep herself away from all these activities until she accepted it as a challenge to test her determination. “I got involved with cultural events, made friends and had a blast during my college years. After I passed out I am still determined enough to embrace diksha and I feel I’ve passed the test,” she added.

Apart from felicitation and musical performances, the event also hosted a courtroom-style interrogation of Gandhi, to answer students’ doubts about her decision. “Our students have made careers in varied fields but this was the first time that a student was choosing this path. We wanted to educate other students that no matter whatever field they choose, the goal should always be to benefit society,” said Dr. Preeti Dave, her professor, who is associated with the college’s Gujarati department.

Gandhi will formally embrace diksha at a grand initiation event on February 23 after five days of religious events. The ceremony will be organised by Shankheshwar Parshwanath Shvetambar Murtipujak Tapagachchh Jain Sangh of Ghatkopar (E).