In Shwetambar Jain pooja, devotees may lightly touch the murti during worship because it is done with bhakti, reverence, and humility, not as ordinary physical contact.

Main reasons:

• Expression of devotion: Touching the murti can show deep respect and surrender to the Tirthankar.
• Awareness of auspiciousness: The murti is treated as a sacred symbol of the Tirthankar’s pure qualities.
• Traditional ritual practice: In many Shwetambar temples, dravya pooja includes physical worship methods such as applying sandal paste, flowers, and other offerings.
• Not for personal gain: The feeling should remain pure, with the understanding that the Tirthankar is vitarag and beyond attachment.

Important point:

• In Jain Dharma, the murti is not worshipped as a god in the worldly sense, but as a reminder and medium of devotion toward the ideal of moksha.
• The exact practice can vary by Shwetambar sub-tradition and temple custom.

So, Shwetambar Jains touch the murti during pooja as an act of shraddha, vinay, and bhakti.