New Delhi: Devanshi Sanghvi, 8, from Gujarat’s Surat would have otherwise been a diamond heiress upon becoming an adult, gave up on the fortune to become a child nun. She embraced monkhood on Wednesday after what might have been her last tryst with ostentation — song, dance, finery, and a grand procession involving ornamented elephants, horses, and camels, reported the Times of India. 


Devanshi, the older of two sisters, attended 367 diksha events which led her to transitioning into monkhood. Despite being born into riches “she’s never watched TV and movies, or been to a restaurant,” a family friend was quoted as saying during Tuesday’s celebration. 


Devanshi’s father is the only son of Mohan Sanghvi, the patriarch of Sanghvi and Sons, one of the oldest diamond-making companies of the state with branches worldwide. Founded in 1981, the business has a net worth of Rs 5 billion as per ICRA, reported the Guardian.


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Dhanesh, his wife Ami, daughters Devanshi and Kavya, 5, have been known to follow a simple, religious lifestyle despite inheriting fortunes, the TOI report stated adding that Devanshi followed a strict routine of prayers thrice a day since her early years. 


Jainism has over 4 million followers in India with many, such as Devanshi’s family, belonging to the affluent trading communities. 


Followers of this ancient Indian religion follow a strict vegetarian diet and some monks and nuns even cover their mouths with fabric to prevent accidentally swallowing insects.


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The religion has howevers come under criticism from some quarters for some of its ritual practices , particularly a tradition of extreme fasts to the death. 


Parents of a 13-year-old girl were booked for manslaughter after their daughter in Hyderabad fell into coma and died in 2016 while undertaking a two-month fast as an act of penance, during which she was allowed to drink warm water twice a day.