what is varshitap

Varshitap (also called Varshi Tap) is a Jain year-long austerity. It is an upavāsa (vow) of strict, alternate-day fasting taken for about a year to purify the soul and progress on the path to moksha.

• How it works (common Śvetāmbara practice): You fast on alternate days for roughly 13 lunar months plus 13 days, eating only on the non-fasting days and keeping the regimen as prescribed (often with two meals on eating days, and strict rules about purity, conduct, and meditation). The period traditionally ends on Akshaya Tritiya, when the fast is broken with a simple, purifying food like sugarcane juice. ( jainknowledge.com)
• Digambar variation: Some Digambar traditions observe a shorter form, often described as about six months, rather than a full 13-month cycle. The overarching aim remains the same—disciplined self-control to burn karma and grow spiritual insight. ( en.wikipedia.org)
• Key terms you might hear:

- Beshna: eating two meals on the eating days. - Ekasana: eating one meal on the eating days. - Parna: the ritual of breaking the fast on Akshaya Tritiya. ( jainbliss.com)

You can read more about Varshitap on these Jain Knowledge pages:

• Start/end timing and basic outline
• General explanation of Varsi Tap basics