Jain community Raised Over £11K for RSPCA on Mahavir Jayanti

By Raj Sarin

March 31, 2010

Over 400 members of the Jain community in Manchester celebrated the birthday of Lord Mahavir over the weekend and marked the occasion by raising money for RSPCA.

The event took place at the Jain Community Centre, Longsight where Pujya Samri Ji Prasana Pragya and Samri Ji Rohit Pragya from Jain Vishwa Bharti, London held four days training to enrich life through practice of non-violence.

A stage production by young children and students showed the benefits of meditation and non-violence.

Jains try to follow the teachings of Lord Mahavira who taught his followers about the true path of happiness. His teachings on complete non-violence and the importance of austerity shows them the path to achieving salvation and spirituality.

A cheque for £11,768, collected by the Jain community was presented to Susie Hughes from RSPCA by the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Alison Firth.

Said Susie: "This was the largest amount RSPCA have ever received in the U.K. It is a most wonderful achievement from a community that should stand as an outstanding example to us all".

President of Jain Samaj, Piyush Mehta and vice presidents Kiran Mehta presented awards to Ruchir Shah and Ashok Mehta for raising the maximum funds for the charity and thanked the members of their community for their help.

Gujaratis in Malysia fast during Paryushan

Malacca (Malaysia): For Gujarati Jains here, the Paryushan fast has coincided with that of holy Ramadan being observed by the majority Muslim population. Fasting is common among the two communities, and so is the goal of self-purification.

Gujaratis have a special link with Malaysia as it is believed that Gujarati missionaries introduced Islam to Malaysia prior to the establishment of the Malacca Sultanate in 1402, according to Joshua Project website that researches and compiles information about communities globally.
While everyone knows that Aug 22 was the first day of Ramadan, few in Malaysia know that the children of another community and faith have also been fasting, The Star newspaper said Wednesday.

Unlike Muslims, who go without food and water from dawn to dusk for a month, Gujarati children survive only on boiled water without any food for between three and eight days.
The newspaper correspondent visited the home of carpet dealer Nishrint Shangani, 44, on "a joyous occasion" Tuesday.

Shangani held a colourful traditional ceremony at his home in Bandar Hilir to mark the end of the fasting for his 11-year-old son Depak.

Gujaratis, who are strict vegetarians, observe the Paryushan fast as a purification rite and a period to seek forgiveness.

Websites about Gujaratis in Malaysia list the community by their religions, castes, sub-castes and their location back in Gujarat.

They also list Hindu and Jain temples, where priests are in charge and the activity is funded and overseen by the community.

A Jain temple was opened in Malacca in 2001 amid fanfare and community participation in the presence of Gurudev Jinchandraji Maharaj (Bandhu Triputi).

Attending it were the Gujarati communities not only from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor but also from Singapore and all over Malaysia including Penang, Ipoh, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan states.

"The Gujaratis of Malaysia are mainly adherents of Jainism and Hinduism with a small minority of Muslims," the Joshua Project website says of the 3,000-plus community of mostly traders.
"Gujarati traders from Cambay also frequently visited the port of Malacca but did not settle there. Only in the late 19th century did the Gujaratis, who are mostly businessmen in textile trade, travel to Malacca to settle. This new community grew as more Gujaratis came after World War II," the website records.

Jains Congregate at Buena Park Temple

BY K.B.NAIR
BUENA PARK, CA - Over 2,000 delegates from all over the country, Canada and India converged on the holiday weekend for the 15th Biennial JAINA Convention held at the Jain Center in here from July 2 to 5. While the number appears to be large, in reality this figure actually represents a drop in attendance compared to the 5,000 attendees at previous conventions in recent years. The fall was due to the financial downturn the country is still reeling under. Officials speaking at the opening ceremony explained that these are the circumstances that prompted them to move the event from the Anaheim Convention Center to the Jain Center to conserve financial resources.

The change of venue did not in any way diminish the spirit of the event and the huge congregation gathered for four days of educational, religious, social and entertainment activities with a host of programs filling up the days. The theme of the convention was “Ecology – the Jain Way,” a subject most appropriate for the present times when the future of the planet itself is at enormous risk on account of rampant overuse of natural resources and excessive emissions. The three keynote speakers at the convention spoke on the Jain Way of Going Green – a concept which has been an integral component of the religion from the time of Lord Mahavira.

“ I stand before you as a Jain and not an American” said Dr Gary Francione, Distinguished Professor from Rutgers University in his keynote address at the opening ceremony on July 3 morning which was met with thunderous applause. What is needed today ,he proclaimed, is a change of heart, adherence to the tenets of Jainism and the practice of ahimsa . Carrying the concept still further he appealed to all Jains to consider giving up all dairy foods because he stated “ there is more suffering in a glass of milk than in a pound of steak,” with an explanation of the suffering endured by cows and calves when separated to produce milk and milk products commercially.

Speaking with occasional touches of humor on the serious subject “ Nurturing Nature Back to the Past,” Dr Jagdish Sheth, Professor at Emory University expounded on the urgent need to understand the dynamics of nature and nurturing it as against radical attempts to changing its processes for short term gains. He referred to Jainism as a “scientific” religion in that it recognizes nature in its principle of “ live and let live” and suggested that Jains should not hesitate to market its beliefs to make people aware of the need of cooperating with nature for the well being of the planet.

In his keynote address on July 4, Dr Dipak C Jain , Professor at Northwestern University provided valuable tips on how to exercise restraint on usage of valuable resources such as water and power in one’s day to day life. He spoke on how core Jain principles combined with proper faith, knowledge and conduct can serve as a valuable framework to cultivate enlightened leadership to address a range of global issues.

Participants to the convention started arriving by the afternoon of July 2 which started with pujas and ended with Raas Garba. The official program commenced the next morning with a colorful procession around the temple with ladies singing songs and dancing to the beat of a dhol. Several dignitaries also joined the march along with a few hundred attendees , many bearing bright standards with the name of the chapter they represented.

The business segments of the event started with the recital of the Namkar Mantra and the Manglacharan. The event received the blessing of Gurudev Chitrabhanu , the pioneering Jain monk who brought the Jain message to America. He said he was very happy to have been able to see his dream in the mid 1960s of the Jain dharma take root and establish itself in the USA come true.

Hamilton Brewart, the main sponsor with $51,000 lit the inaugural lamp.

Conveners Rashmi Shah, Dr.Nitin Shah and Lata Champsee, President of JAINA , Dilip Shah, Jain Center of California President Ashok Savla and Founder President of Jain Center, Southern California Mahendra Khandhar also spoke on the occasion.

The convention was loaded with several discourses and discussions moderated and led by prominent speakers and experts on a variety of subjects apart from 14 specific sessions on ecology and going green. Meetings were held concurrently , 4 at a time in both the Jain Center and the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Fullerton.

Several competitive Jaina Awards were presented to individuals during the Convention , selected by a committee from nominations received from all over US and Canada. The prestigious Jaina Ratna Award went to Dr Sulekh Jain from Sugar Land , TX and the Jaina Recognition Awards for Adults were picked up by Amita Desai(Anaheim,CA), Narendra Jain(Torrance,CA), Rakesh Jain (Columbus,OH), Mayur Mehta ( Clarksville TN,) Kirit Shah ( Edison, NJ), Nilesh Shah(Clarksville,MD) Pravin Turakhia (Fremont,CA) Hamir Vadi(Mountainside NJ) and Rasik Vagadia( Foxboro,MA) . Corresponding youth awards were presented to Naman Jain ( Norwood,MA), Rajiv Jain (Odenton,MD) Pina Mehta (Tustin,CA), Parinda Shah (Schaumburg ,IL), and Shaneshi Shah ( Torrance,CA). The Jaina Presidential Awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the community were presented to Udai C Jain (Sugar Land . TX), the longest serving member of the JAINA Executive Committee and to Mahendra G Mehta( Mumbai, India) who established the Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust 2 decades ago with a vision to tackle problems of poverty in Mumbai.

The entertainment highlights included the world premiere of the play “ Siddha Hem” based on the life of Acharya Hemchendra Charya and a Bollywood show “ Black” presented by 10 blind performers. There were fun activities for children and adults of different age groups which comprised cruises, dancing, treasure hunts, movies, stand up comedies and a mega mela at the hotel with 10 stalls for games. One of the most popular features among the youth were the morning Masala Bhangra workouts conducted by the Sarina Jain. Numerous stalls were also set up on the premises of the Jain Center with vendors providing various products and services.

Jain Group - LA Celebrates Silver Jubilee

By K.B. NAIR

ANAHEIM, CA - The Jain Social Group Los Angeles (JSG-LA)went all out to celebrate its landmark 25th Anniversary Silver Jubilee in style at the Sheraton Park Hotel Anaheim Resort on June 13. The huge ballroom where the banquet was held was filled to capacity with members of the community.

The event began with the singing of the ‘Navkar Mantra’. The Vice President of the group Mihir Gandhi made the opening remarks and announced the theme of the evening “Friendship, Harmony and A Positive Attitude.” After this lighting of the lamp, he and co-emcee Priti Khara continued the proceedings. Gandhi pointed out that though it started small it had grown to become a strong entity because of the integrity of the its members which vigorously supported its vision to provide a platform to promote friendship and foster harmony. Narrating short stories titled “ Build your life” and “ The window” Khara reemphasized the importance of doing one’s very best in every endeavor all the time and the need to first look at oneself before jumping to criticize others.

In his talk to the members, President Pradip Dalal proceeded to list some of the many achievements of JSC-LA through the years prominent of which were several medical camps, Diwali programs and starting the celebration of Valentine’s Day. To foster family togetherness he said the group had also organized cultural programs, overnight trips and had also promoted talented artists from India and in Los Angeles. He added the group supports all the activities of the Jain Center and always discharges its charitable duties to those affected by disasters, not only in India but in the US too. He had a special word of appreciation for Bharathbhai and Chandrakantbhai of Jaybharat and its team, who had always produced the best cuisine for all its functions.

The keynote speaker was the Founder President of JSG-LA Mahendra Khandar who took the audience on a nostalgic journey of the group from the time the idea was initiated in 1983 by his elder brother Kishorebhai Khandar in Mumbai. He reminded all that while it might primarily be a social unit, it follows every tenet laid down by Mahavira, the Tirthankaras and Acharyas. Working hand in hand with the Jain Center, he said, JSG-LA had contributed to the Center’s Jain Bhavan building project and supported its causes. He acknowledged the contributions of every President, each of who, he said, had played a unique role in the Chapter’s growth and added it was during Anil Shah’s tenure that it registered an explosive growth and it was Pradip Dalal who had brought about stability and unity within the group. In closing he said he hoped every member would follow Mahavir’s advice to achieve a life of contentment which is to keep life simple and to be happy, which can only be earned by making others happy by serving them with compassion and love.

During the evening Pradip Dalal presented the President’s award to his Vice President Mihir Gandhi for his outstanding effort and dedication. Dr Nitin Shah, the sponsors, Ashok Savla, Arvind Joshi, Chandrakant Patel, Shashi Jogani and Subodh Sheth were recognized.

The entertainment for the evening was provided by young Kruti Shah, who opened with a enchanting dance item which was followed by an amusing stand up routine by comedian Patrick Hanifin. These items preceded the official segment of the evening after which L.A. crooner Charanjeet and his ensemble and Sarika provided the gathering with a wide selection of Bollywood music.

Ajit Jain may succeed Warren Buffett as CEO

S. Rajagopalan

WASHINGTON: India born Ajit Jain is one of three top executives who could succeed billionaire investor Warran Buffett as CEO of the investment giant, Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

But no one knows when the change will occur as the 78-year-old Buffett has not indicated when he plans to call it a day. On Saturday, Buffett once again had flattering things to say about Jain, who has worked for him since 1986, currently runs his re-insurance business and is one whom he talks with every day.

At the company’s annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, Buffett said it would be impossible to replace Jain at Berkshire’s insurance operations, remarking: ‘‘Ajit is needed, and we won’t find a substitute for him.’’

‘‘You can do enormous damage in the insurance business with your pen, and we’ve given our pen to Ajit in a way we wouldn’t give it to anybody else,” he said.

The legendary investor’s job will eventually be split with his son, Howard, succeeding him as chairman, and a still to be chosen Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer.

Born in Orissa, the 57-year-old Jain is an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and the Harvard Business School.

The other two top contenders from within the Berkshire empire for the CEO perch are David Sokol, chairman of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, and Tony Nicely, CEO of the company’s GEICO Corp.

According to reports, while the candidates for CEO already work for Berkshire, at least one of the contenders for the post of Chief Investment Officer is an outsider.

Buffett sees little logic in choosing the CEO successor well ahead. Reports quoted him as commenting that he doesn’t see any value in naming the person as the other two not chosen might leave Berkshire.As he put it, ‘It would be a waste of talent. I don’t really see any advantages in having some crown prince around.’’

As for Jain, this is not the first time that Buffett has showered praise on him.

‘‘Ajit’s value to Berkshire is enormous,’’ he said in 2004. In a comment a year ago, Buffett said: "Ajit came to Berkshire in 1986. Very quickly, I realised that we had acquired an extraordinary talent. So I did the logical thing: I wrote his parents in New Delhi and asked if they had another one like him at home. Of course, I knew the answer before writing. There isn’t anyone like Ajit."

For Berkshire Hathaway, as for most of Corporate America, it has been a bad time. Its first-quarter operating profit has fallen and the company’s book value is down by 6 percent. The operating profit is down 12 percent compared to a year ago.

As for the four candidates deemed to be in the race to replace him as Chief Investment Officer, Buffett commented: "In terms of 2008 by itself, you would not say that they covered themselves with glory. But I didn’t cover myself in glory either in 2008."

Jains dedicate new temple

Jains dedicate new temple

James D. Davis | South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Swamiji Devendrakeerty visited Weston in mid-April to help dedicate the Jain Center of South Florida. (James D. Davis)

Pausing during a recent tour of the new Jain Center of South Florida, K. Depika Dalal gleefully showed off the gleaming white marble idols. Here, a Hindu deity. There, a statue of a Jain master.

"The divisions are like Catholic and Protestant, but not here," Dalal, vice president of the Jain Center, said with a smile. "Here, all souls are equal."

With dedication ceremonies April 17-19, the Jains of South Florida dedicated the only center of its kind south of Tampa.



Taking up 4,000 square feet, the center sits in an office park in Weston, within sight of I-75. The Indian-style interior is covered in white marble from India. Along with its land, the project cost $1.45 million.

Centerpiece is a Gabhara, a covered sanctuary housing three Thirthankars, or enlightened teachers: Adinath, the first; Mahavira, the 24th and most recent, who lived in the sixth century B.C.; and Simandhar, whom Jains foresee as the next Thirthankar.

Another section is for Jains who also honor other streams of the faith. A floor-to-ceiling plaque bears a mantra called Navakar, which believers chant to shed karma and move toward enlightenment. Finally, there's a large photo of Shrimad Rajchendra, a 19th century monk who translated Jain scriptures into the Gujarati language.

At the dedication ceremonies, Jain leaders prayed special mantras over the idols and applied a special saffron paste. Then the idols absorbed spiritual energy and became worthy of worship.

Among the visiting leaders was Swamiji Devendrakeerty, who has helped dedicate 54 temples in a half-dozen countries since 1974. He says it's a measure of the spread of Jains.

"It is important for people to have a place to gather and spend time in holy activities," Devendrakeerty said in an interview. "It builds spirituality and peace of mind."

Like many others from India, the 120 families of the Jain Center work as doctors, engineers, CPAs and businessmen. They are among an estimated 5-6 million believers worldwide, 100,000 in the United States.

Jainism is also among the oldest spiritual heritages, believers say. The religion gained a broader following in the sixth century B.C. under the leadership of Mahavira; but some historians and archaeologists say the Jain approach may go back to prehistoric times.

Dalal, also an associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of Miami, said Hindu and Jain beliefs are similar about matters like reincarnation, but differ on how to reach enlightenment.

For one, she said, Jains don't believe in a supreme being. "There are gods, but there is no creator," she said. "We believe every soul has the potential to reach nirvana."

Another distinction: The path is for all to learn, without a mediator like a god. Even when Jains pray before the idols, they are simply communicating with themselves, said Dr. Mayur Maniar, a board member of the Jain Center.

"Mahavira has become a god, but he cannot give us anything," added Maniar, a neurologist who works in Sunrise and Hollywood. "We are telling our soul that we want to be like him."

Jains live by a strict ethical code dominated by ahimsa, practicing nonviolent deeds, words, even thoughts. They also believe in truthfulness, sexual modesty (or celibacy among monks), avoiding theft or cheating, and detachment from wealth and possessions.

Many Jains are vegetarians; some don't eat root vegetables like potatoes, fearing that digging up the foods will kill small creatures in the soil.

Although the Weston center is new, the congregation goes back to 1980. That year, it helped form the Indian Religious and Cultural Center, including Hindu, Jain and Sikh groups. As the groups grew, though, they divided into congregations.

In 1984, the Jains bought 20 acres on Griffin Road, but ran up against a law in Southwest Ranches that said houses of worship had to be more than 1,000 feet apart. They had better luck in Weston, where they moved in 2006.