Cook Islands, an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, launched a special commemorative coin for the Jain religion’s founder, Lord Adinath.
The Cook Islands in the South Pacific have created a new commemorative coin which has just been released. It’s been made to celebrate the founder of the religion Jainism, Lord Adinath. Many people expect the coins to become collectors’ items because Jainism and the history of Lord Adinath is very important to the people that live on the Cook Islands.
Lord Adinath, or Rishabha as he is also known, is considered to be the very first founder of Jainism and a great man. Legend tells that he lived in the ninth century B. C. E, which is around eleven thousand years ago now, and that he brought order to a chaotic world. Lord Adinath is credited with the invention of 72 sciences, which include art, dancing, literacy, music, and the art of love making. Lord Adinath spent most of his later years travelling around his kingdom and preaching Jainism, and is considered to be one of the first human ever to achieve moksha, which is release from suffering and the cycle of life and death.
Although Jainism first began in India, it has spread all over the world – including to the Cook Islands. As the largest proportion of the inhabitants of the Cook Islands are Maori, folk traditions remain strong there, and are still practiced by many today. The arrival of Christianity in the year 1821 by missionaries from England has also had a deep hold on the Cook Islands. However, the ancient religion of Jainism has remained throughout the centuries, leading to a wonderful melting pot of cultures and religions on the Cook Islands. The commemorative coins for Lord Adinath are just one reflection of this multicultural country, and they are already proving very popular in India.
The issued commemorative coin has a face value of 20 dollars. From the limited edition of 1008 coins minted for collectors, only 508 pieces have been allocated for the Indian market, said numismatist Alok Goyal, who has the sole selling rights for the coins in India. Weighing 2 oz (62.2 gram), the coin is made of 999 silver with partially colour printing, with the Palitana temple facade in high relief as the background. Pre-orders for the coin have already started. Orders will be delivered on the occasion of Akshay Tritya, a holy day for Hindus and Jains, on April 21, 2015.