image of Short film screening: A closer look at Jainism
Guest Lecture

Short film screening: A closer look at Jainism


CERES Palais, room "Ruhrpott" (4.13)

On June 12, we welcome Indian filmmaker Harsha Vinay to CERES. He will show four short films about Jainism, providing an insight into this fascinating religion.
The films deal with the ritual practices of the Jains, the production of manuscripts and their use, temples, pilgrimages, and the everyday life of Jain ascetics in India.

Between the films, there will be a Q&A session and a discussion with the director.

These are the films that will be shown (the order may vary):

Vihāra – a path to salvation

A group of nuns and a naked monk walk bare foot for hundreds of kilometers through changing landscapes along centuries old pilgrimage routes, visiting Jain temples and sacred sites in South and Central India.
The process of pilgrimage, the do’s and don’ts, the ways of travel, the times of travel and the differences between a pilgrimage by a monk and a pilgrimage by lay people are some of the topics that this film presents.

Asceticism - a day in the life of …

Monks and nuns, known as Munis and Mataji’s describe their daily routines that are rigorously followed during pilgrimage journeys. One witnesses how they live and practice their values of nonviolence, compassion, tolerance, in every action of the day: standing, walking, eating, resting, reading, etc.

Jain Texts of Knowledge – manuscripts

Artisans write verses of ancient Jain texts in a calligraphic style on evenly sized handmade paper with gold ink. The actions of dipping into the ink pot, the smooth flow of gold ink on paper require caution and control. One witnesses the slow, meticulous and meditative writing technique that produces beautiful, stylized texts or manuscripts.

Conversations with Jains from India

Jains from across India speak about how they practice their faith in daily life.
Priyank and Shwetha Jain are architects who design a community space in Mathura, North India, using what they call, non-violent architecture. A producer of organic vegetables and foods, Rohit Jain, discusses the challenges of farming and the Jain faith, while the CEO of a large construction company, Pradeep Jain, shares his ideas on ecology and environment.

Affiliated Persons

Photograph of Sabrina Finke M.A.

Sabrina Finke M.A.

Contact

Universitätsstr. 90a
44789  Bochum
Office 3.08
+49 234 32-21964
sabrina.finke@rub.de
Photograph of Dr. Patrick Felix Krüger

Dr. Patrick Felix Krüger

Contact

Universitätsstr. 90a
44789  Bochum
Office 3.14
+49 234 32-21958
patrick.krueger@rub.de