Jains Today in World

SR No.: 001794
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Pirre Paul AMIEL
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 2008
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, History, Religion, E000, & E005
File Size: 24 MB

Page 160

Their Temples and Sacred Places : 121 In Eastern Africa, where some Jain families have emigrated since 1963, especially in Kenya, they have built temples and "pāthaśālā “ in Mombassa. Since 1984, there is also a Jain temple in Nairobi.
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In America
It is in North America that Indian Jains emigrants are the most numerous, especially in Canada and the United States. Dr. Bhuvanendra Kumar in his book "Jainism in America", edited in 1996 by Jain Humanities Press, traces their history and considers the number of those living now in these two great countries at more than 100.000.
In Canada, there is now, in Toronto a Jain temple dedicated to Mahāvīra.
Today, in the United States, there are thirty temples of which 14 are shared with Hindus and 16 uniquely Jain. The first was inaugurated in 1966 at Elmhurst (New-York) State. The others are at Crefzille, Londonville, Pittsford (New-York State), Norwood (Massachusetts), Penasukam, Essex Falls and Blairstown (New Jersey), Silverspring (Maryland), Richardson and Houston (Texas), Bartlett (Illinois), Winchestor and Cincinnati (Ohio), Philadelphia and Monroeville (Pennsylvania), Farmington (Michigan) Milwaukee (Wisconsin), San Jose and Milpitas (California), Richmond (Virginia), Augusta and Smyrna (Atlanta), Minneapolis (Minnesota), West Palm Beach (Florida), Simsonville, Charloteville and Morrisville (Carolina). The last one is the Jain Centre of Southern California inaugurated on the 27 March 2005 in the city of Buena Park, a suburb of Los Angeles.
These sanctuaries are usually far from noisy conglomerations. They are made in white marble, sometimes shipped from India. Consecrations of these beautiful constructions and installations of statues inside last several days of rites and festivals. The buildings include generally: temple, rooms for conferences, meditation and