Why do Jains ask for forgiveness on Samvatsari?

Jains observe the day of Samvatsari—the final day of the Paryushana festival—as a time for communal confession and the seeking of forgiveness to ensure that no quarrels or ill feelings are carried over into the new year.12

During this time, Jains perform a communal confession and send letters to others to ask for forgiveness for any conscious or unconscious misdeeds committed during the past year. This practice is deeply rooted in the Jain commitment to nonviolence (ahimsa), which emphasizes the purification of the mind and the avoidance of injury through thought, speech, or action. By seeking forgiveness and removing ill feelings, practitioners aim to pacify their relationships and maintain the spiritual purity necessary for their path toward enlightenment.234