Jain Center Los Angeles CA 2008 09 Pratishta Souvenior

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

Page 59

Mahendra Khandhar
THE MAKING OF THE JAIN CENTER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC) was founded on September 15, 1979. Since then, Presidents and able JCSC Administrations have cultivated the seed sown that day into the great Banyan tree that JCSC is today. Periods of accomplishments include:
Executive Committees (1979-98)
Planning Years (1982-85)
Realization of Dream-First Jain Bhavan (1986-89) Phenomenal Growth (1992-93)
Community Empowerment Years (1996-97)
Formation Years (1979-81)
Growth Years (1990-91)
Community Outreach Years (1994-95) Expansion Years (1998-99)
The purpose of this article is to highlight the behind-the-scenes community meetings and deliberations that culminated into the formation of JCSC.
In the early 1970s there were several hundred Jain families within a hundred mile radius of Buena Park in Southern California. Most followed their family traditions and did some penance and Samvatsari Pratikraman during Paryushana in localized small groups of family and close friends. However, no large scale organized effort existed to bring together these families.
Everybody agreed on the need to organize the Jain community, to help our generation to perform our Jain rituals as well as to pass the heritage on to the next generation. The name Jain Center of Southern California was chosen because it covered a large geographic area and created a sense of community. English was chosen as the language of choice for all written, formal, constitutional and financial matters. However, public lectures could be in English, Gujarati or Hindi depending on the speaker, audience and topic.
The majority of the Jains in Los Angeles area are Murtipujak Shvetambar (Deravasi), but it was felt that such sectarian views and differences should not be the focus of the new JCSC. As such, efforts have been made to maintain a reasonable balance in public events to respect all sects.
The governing body was created in a simple manner: five officers and four members at large, each holding a two year term, with the election of both groups in turn in alternate years. All other roles were to be filled by the vast number of community volunteers. The constitution is simple, focusing on performing Jain rituals, continuity of Jain heritage, assimilation in the American mainstream through local community service, and academic awarenes under the guidance of Jain scriptures.
Although the founding families desired to have an independent space for the Jain Center, it was not practical in the beginning years of the JCSC. Initially, meetings were held in other community halls until the Jain Bhavan was built in 1988 with community support, donations and interest-free loans. Initial JCSC membership was about 250, with 100 life members. Within a few years, that facility was too small for our growing community and exponentially growing Pathshala attendance. We embarked on a three-phase expansion plan to develop a new facility.
Many invaluable individuals had a hand in the initial set up of JCSC, to whom the entire Jain community will be forever grateful. The First Executive Committee which was particularly visionary, included Mahendra Khandhar (President), Lalit Shah (Vice President), Kalyanji Mota (Secretary), Surendra Patel (Treasurer) and Rajul Mehta (Public Relations). Savita Mehta, Mohan Patel, Manda Shah and Yogesh R. Shah served one year terms and Niru Kothari, Shirish Seth, Dinesh Shah and Mahesh Shah joined the Committee for the second year term.
With Mahavir Swami's blessings, Shasan Dev's Krupa, hard working, dedicated leaders and genuine community support, our Jain Center and Pathshala have flourished beyond all imagination. With more than 400 students in Pathshala, an 850-life-member strong Jain community, nearly daily Swadhyays, weekly Pujas and a beautiful temple with a wonderful cultural complex and Aradhna Hall, the Jain Center of Southern California is admired by Jain communities in the United States and the throughout the world.
Mahendra Khandhar is the founding President of Jain Center of Southern California. He can be contacted at MKKhandhar@hotmail.com.
During Pathshala, I believe that the students enhance their knowledge on situations of their lives more than anywhere else. Niraj Khona, 15