Jain Center Los Angeles CA 1998 07 10th Anniversary of Jain Bhavan

Author(s): Jain Center So CA Los Angeles
Publisher: USA Jain Center Southern California

Page 121

Ahimsa Awarness Group - Live and Help to Let Live
By Kalpanaben Shah
Inspired by Pramodaben Chitrabhanuji, this group was founded approximately five years ago to spread the message of non-violence.
Ahimsa Awarness (A/A) group has two primary goals. One is to raise public awareness of products such as cosmetics, clothing, jewelry, food items and others that are prepared from animal products or prepared by testing on animals. They bring great pain, and possibly death to the animals. Second goal is to inform the public about alternate products of equal or better quality that are available and where to find them. The choice should be to live and help to let live by promoting a cruelty-free lifestyle.
To further the cause of Ahimsa, A/A group has held seminars, workshops, field trips, video shows, fashion shows and arranged lectures. Believe it or not, today we see the great impact on Jain community in Los Angeles. We no longer use Varakh (thin silver topping) for pooja in the temple. A woman wearing a silk sari, previously a common and popular practice, is now a rare occurrence.
Talking about young Jains, some of them have progressed far more than their parents. Girls do not wear silk or do not use cosmetics that has been tested on animals. Needless to say they do not wear leather goods and have become vegetarian. Also they have refused to dissect animals or insects for science projects in schools and have been using alternative options. Today's young Jains are clear about not taking alcohol.
We have successfully planted the seeds in young people's lives for their future that should not involve direct violence (Himsa). They have realized that going to see a circus is no fun for them because the animals are caged and punished when they do not perform well. This is an indirect way of promoting suffering to living beings. The world is full of greed, hatred, violence and war. We want the world to be a safer, happier and peaceful place for us and future generations. So we must strive to live a life that involves the least violence.
Unless we as consumers stop buying the products with animal ingredients, the manufacturers will go on producing them. When there is a demand, there will always be a supply. If one person makes a change in lifestyle, it will make a difference. Each drop adds to make an ocean, so why not make a difference by becoming that drop! Why not be the voice for voiceless, defenseless, innocent animals!
I love to be Jain. I love my family being Jain very much.
- Gautam Savla (9)