Jain Digest 1988 08 Vol 13 No 07

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

Page 12

THREE CHAITYALAYAS INAGUARATED
ON TWO CONTINENTS EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA
During this July 1988, history was made in the Jain Chronicles of Europe and north America. This month in 1988 heralded a grandiose triumphant for Jain Religion and its followers as three Chaityalayas were inaguarated on two continents: Europe and North America.
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Chaityalaya in southern California 8072 Commonwealth Ave, Buena Park, CA 90621
Nearly 300 Jain families, through their strengths in the Jain Center of So California, have marvelled in constructing the first Chaityalaya on the west coast of America. Its inaguaration, a 4-day event, was organised from July 01 - 04,1988. It was a large gathering, of over 2000 people, from India, Canada, Europe and the neighbouring states.
Saturday July 2 was a prime day. Early in the morning at six the procession was taken out and the idol consecration ceremonies were begun at eight. Withpomp and pagentry, chantings and pooja performings, the idols of Tirthankaras - Rishab, Mahavir and Parshvanath were consecrated as per centuries old Agamic scriptural traditions. The latter program consisted of lectures, social and cultural events. Main speakers were Gurdev Chitrabhanu, Jogesh Muni, Dr H.C.Bharill and internationally known scholar, Prof.Padmanabh Jaini of UCLA at Berkeley. The basic doctrines of Jain Religion were presented by the youth group through excellent theatrical performings.
Throughout the 4-day festivities, various poojas, Jain devotional songs, aarati and mangal divo were performed by various groups and parties, and over $100,000 were raised through auctioning of various holy events. Sumptuous food was served daily to over 2000 people. Au the visitors from out of town and overseas were housed, transportation arranged and their needs were well looked after.
Dr Manilal Mehta, the President and the other officers - Chandrakant Parekh, Navnit Shah, Dinesh Shah, Dr Kishori Shah, Prakash Gandhi, Girish Jogani, Girish Shah, Rajul Mehta, Shirish Sheth and the past presidents - Mahendra Khandhar, Kalyan Mota - deserve an applaud for their laudable endevour. They helped write a part of history of Jain Religion and its community in north America.