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

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2. Initial membership was about 250 with life membership of about 100. The attendance ranged from 200-300 during normal general body meeting to 800-1000 during Paryushana & Mahavir Jayanti.
3. In absence of Jain Bhavan, the meetings were held at various Indian community centers around Los Angeles.
4. Children's activities such as classes, camps, books etc. were considered and discussed. Two children camps were organized during 1980 & 1981 Christmas time, one in cooperation with Northern California and the other in cooperation with Acharya Sushil Muniji in Lake Arrowhead. The plans for classes were being formulated.
5. Started Mahila Mandal (now Mahavir Mandal) that organized and conducted regular Snatra Poojas, worships and other rituals.
6. Record breaking penances of Sol Bhatthu (16-day fasts) and Atthais (8-day fasts) as well as many smaller ones took place during Paryushana and added to the religious ferver and exuberance of the community. The tradition of Samuh Kshamapana and Pama started which helped consolidate the community religious spirit.
7. Began to investigate, evaluate and recommend a suitable site for our Jain Center temple/Bhavan. Visited several existing buildings and vacant lots. With Lord Mahavir's blessings, the successive Administrations fulfilled the dream beyond anybody's imagination. Today, we have a wonderful Jain Bhavan with plans for expansion in every direction and sphere.
8. Initiated to develop, discuss and implement the idea of organizing the national federation of all Jain Societies/Centers in US/Canada. Dialogs continued for almost a year and culminated in the first ever and formative convention in Los Angeles in 1981. About 15 Jain organizations participated. The Federation of Jain Associaitons of North America was adopted as its name. It is gratifying that from that humble beginning, JAINA has grown into 54 member organizations with international stature and progressively successful biennial conventions. (see more under JAINA in Community Outreach Programs)
9. The scaled wooden model of Shatrunjay (Palitana) on display at 1901 World Fair in Philadelphia was now part of a hotel in Las Vegas. We initiated discussions with the hotel management to donate the wooden model to Jain Center. The negotiations continued in subsequent years with successful donation of the model to the Jain Center in 1988 and final transfer to Los Angeles in 1995.
It is interesting to know that humans have the strength and the power to complete every task their minds desire.
Soham Shah (11)