Mahavir Jayanti in the Netherlands

Dates for Mahavir Jayanti are still being confirmed for the years we cover.

Also called Mahaveer Janma Kalyanak.

Mahavir Jayanti marks the birth of Mahavira. It is observed with a prabhat pheri, puja at the derasar, and charitable giving, and it is a strictly vegetarian day.

There are Jain communities in Amsterdam, Amstelveen and Rotterdam who mark it together. Where we are usually asked to help is food — a genuinely Jain meal, no root vegetables, cooked before sunset, is a specific brief and not every caterer who says yes has understood it.

What we arrange

• Jain catering with no root vegetables, cooked and served before sunset
• A hall for a community lunch
• Puja items for a derasar or a home shrine
• Eggless, honey-free sweets, which is a narrower list than it sounds

Dates

• Mahavir Jayanti 2026 — Tuesday, 31 March 2026