Amid the increasing use of smartphones in society, some members of the Jain community are now observing a 24-hour "digital fast" during the ongoing Paryushan Parva by staying away from electronic gadgets and the internet in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh.

As part of this exercise, around 1,000 members of the community deposited their smartphones for 24 hours at a temple in Begumganj town, some 120 kms from the state capital, on Wednesday morning, a local community leader said.