JAINA Convention 2009 07 Los Angeles

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

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15th Biennial JAINA Convention 2009
Ecology - The Jain Way
of the land but has provided an excellent opportunity for the young pupils to develop and ecological consciousness. More than 300 students are registered here, and a vocational school for village women is in the process of being designed.
Impressed with Veerayatan's success in Rudrani, a Kutchhi businessman invited Veerayatan to start an even bigger project on 17 acres of donated land in a village called Jakhania, 40 kilometers south of Bhuj. The environment in this region of Kutch was so brutal, even 'Gaandi Baval was few and far between. Upon drilling bore wells, Veerayatan found only salty water, unfit for drinking and agricultural development. Undettered, Veerayatan vowed to bring productivity to the land, and educational opportunity to the people of the region.
Veerayatan: Jakhania Campus
The Kutch project found itself under the able direction of Sadhvi Shilapiji in 2003. Her challenge was to build a unique university that could produce tomorrow's leaders grounded in the lessons of ahimsa, anekaantvada, compassion and ecological sensitivity, taught by Tirthankar Mahavir. The resulting Tirthankar Mahavir University, the next big undertaking from Veerayatan, will be the fulfillment of a dream long held by Acharya Shri Chandanaji.
Veerayatan, Jakhania: Institute of Pharmacy
Today, Veerayatan has become a major educational and environmental force in Kutch. The Jakhania campus stretches over half a square kilometer. It includes an English and Gujarati medium elementary school, a high school, a Bachelor of Business Administration and Computer Applications College, and a Pharmacy College. These colleges are the first of their kind in the entire region of Kutch. The educational buildings are supported by student hostels, staff quarters, a state-of-the-art administrative building, a modern dining hall, and tree-lined walkways and recreational areas.
Impressive as the construction achievements are, the real achievement of Veerayatan is in overcoming the challenges to make this desert habitable, not just by people, but by fruit trees and diverse flora. Jakhania's 17 acres has transformed into an oasis where more than 2500 trees bring shade, scent, and color to the thousands of students, staff and visitors that grace the campus each year. More than five hundred fruit-trees provide several tons of chikkus, pomegranates and coconuts, in an area where such foods are a luxury of the highest caliber. Bougainvillea, hibiscus, and other flowers in brilliant shades of purple and red contrast starkly against the surrounding brown and grey desert landscape.
How was this environmental and ecological miracle achieved? The key, of course, is in the efficient use of water and natural energy. Salt water from two bore-wells is used for washing, bathing and sanitation, while drinking water is piped in from the town of Mandvi, apprximately 10 kilometers away. All waste-water is subsequently treated in a processing plant located at the edge of the property; the nutrient-rich,
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