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"Extending Jain Heritage to the Next Generation"
Mahavir Jayanti Celebrations
cultural program and Prasad ended the event.
Lord Mahavir, the 24th and last Tirthankar, was born on the 13th day of Chaitra corresponding to March 30th 599 BC in Bihar. Mahavir's parents, King Sidhartha and Queen Trishala, gave their son the name Vardhman, for he brought fame and prosperity
The Jain Center of Greater St. Louis celebrated Mahavir Jayanti on April 7 with Professor Padmanabh S. Jaini from Berkeley, CA. Youth presentations, a question and answer period with Professor Jaini and Aarti marked the occasion.
to the family.
At the age of thirty, Mahavir gave away all of his possessions in charity, renounced the world, left home and took the vows of asceticism. For the next twelve years he devoted himself to self
discipline and self-purification, practising severe penance and
austerities.
For the next thirty years Mahavir traveled on foot from place to place giving his message of peace, goodwill and nonviolence to all who would listen.
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Mahavir was not founder of a new religion, but a reviver, reformer, a great thinker and a teacher who left a legacy of great cultural heritage and metaphysical thought, and a way of living. This great apostle of Ahimsa attained Nirvana (salvation) in 527 BC in Bihar. Since then Jains have celebrated the day of Deepvali, symbolizing the light of knowledge that Lord Mahavir bestowed upon us. Mahavir Jayanti celebrations take place throughout the world in March and April to celebrate the birth of Lord Mahavira.
The Jain Center of Dayton and Cincinnati held their annual Mahavir Jayanti program on April 28, 1991 at 2:00 p.m. in Ankur Hall in Cincinnati. The program included Pravachan by Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanu, yearly reports by the president and treasurer, elections for the new executive committee, aarti, and dinner.
The Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington celebrated Mahavir Jayanti on Saturday, April 13 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Maryvale Elementary School in Rockville, MD. Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanu spoke in English and Gujarati at the celebration. The children's program included an interesting game on the life of Lord Mahavir. The program ended with a talk by Swami Vatsalya Bhojan and Jain devotional songs/Ras.
The Jain Center of New Jersey celebrated Mahavir Jayanti on March 31. Nritya Natika, Stavana singing, and Raas-Garba pertaining to Jainism was performed. Much rehearsal went into this very successful event.
The Jain Society of North Texas celebrated Mahavir Jayanti on Sunday, March 31. They started with Panchkalyanak Puja and followed with lunch and various games.
The Jain Study Center of North Carolina celebrated Mahavir Jayanti on April 14 at their temple. A Swastik ceremony started the celebration, followed by Puja and Aarti and Mangal Divo. A children's
Jain Education International 2010_03
Mahavir Jayanti with Snatra Puja at the India ComThe Jain Center of Greater Cleveland celebrated munity Center on April 7.
The Jain Center of America in New York cel
ebrated the holiday with Snatra Puja at their temple, followed by enjoyable programs and a dinner, on April 14.
On April 20 the Jain Society of Houston, Texas, celebrated Mahavir Jayanti with stavanas, songs, and jaaps. Their annual elections were conducted at the same time.
Mahavir Jayanti was celebrated at the newly renovated and expanded Jain Hindu Temple in Edmonton, Alberta, on March 28, by the Jain and Hindu families with Puja and priti bhojan. The puja was conducted by Sushil Kalia and the celebration was sponsored by Amratlal Mehta and family. The celebration was attended by over 70 people from Alberta.
The Jain Society of Rochester celebrated the Mahavir Jayanti with a few stavans related to Lord Mahavir. This was followed by a few short skits by children (all under 12), including one on Chandakoshia Nag. This was the first time an attempt had been made to demonstrate the heroic acts of Lord Mahavir through plays by small children and they all performed marvelously. Usha Sheth, Ila Vora, Pushpa Jain, and Sumant and Ramesh Patel made the program a great
success.
The Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago celebrated Mahavir Janyanti on March 28 with reverence.
The Jain Center of Greater Boston celebrated Mahavira Jayanti, with well over 300 peole attending and enjoying the function.
The Jain Study Group of Charlotte, NC celebrated Mahavir Jayanti on April 13 with great enthusiasm. The children's program included recitals, dialogue on Mahvir Bhagvan's teachings, essays, and dances. The donations raised by the Jain community went to the Hindu Center for furnishing the dining area of their multi-purpose hall.
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