Samvatsari is the last day of the Paryushan Mahaparva, the major annual observance for Jains. Here is a brief, simple outline:

• Meaning and purpose

- Samvatsari literally means “the end of the year.” It marks the culmination of Paryushan. - The day centers on Pratikraman (repentance and reflection) and seeking forgiveness from all living beings. - The key practice is Michhami Dukkadam: asking for forgiveness for any hurt or harm one may have caused, and granting forgiveness to others.

• When it is observed

- It falls on the last day of Paryushan according to the Jain lunar calendar. Dates shift each year but it is typically in late summer (Aug–Sept) for Shvetambar communities and may differ a day or two for Digambar communities depending on the lunar sighting.

• How it is observed

- Jains perform collective and personal Pratikraman, confessing past faults, and renewing vows for non-violence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy, and non-attachment. - Michhami Dukkadam is exchanged in person or through written/spoken forms, with family, friends, and the wider community. - Many communities participate in temple rituals, fasts, and charitable acts during Paryushan and finish with Samvatsari.

• Variations between Digambar and Shwetambar

- Both traditions observe Pratikraman and Michhami Dukkadam, but the exact liturgy, timings, and emphasis on certain rituals can vary slightly between Digambar and Shwetambar communities.

• Historical note

- The emphasis on forgiveness and self-purification is a long-standing aspect of Jain practice, taught in Jain scriptures and carried forward by monks and lay followers over centuries. Samvatsari as a distinct, yearly culmination of Paryushan has become a well-established and widely observed tradition across Jain communities.

If you’d like, I can provide a simple, authentic phrasing of the Pratikraman and Michhami Dukkadam verses that are commonly recited on Samvatsari.