Jain Digest 1988 11 Vol 14 No 08

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

Page 14

GREAT JAIN EVENTS
30 MARCH 1910
The Mahamastakabisheka of Lord Bahubali at Sravanabelagola in southerr India was an important national event even for non-Jains. Many national news papers had dispatched their writers to cover the celebrations. C.F. Edwards, a reporter of the then national daily, Madras Mail, was assigned to cover it.
Edwards dispatched his reoprt of the event through a homing pigeon to Madras Mail in Madras city. The pigeon carried the news report, from Sravanabelagola to Madras, at a flying time of 3 hrs 40 min.
A special Session of All India Jain Mahasabha was held on 30 March 1910 on the occasion of Mahamastakabisheka of Lord Bahubali at Sravanabelagola to address social and eductional issues of the Jain Communities across India. Seth Manickchand Hirachand Zaveri of Bombay, known as the father of Jain Directories and Curdev Brahmachari Shital Prasad were the forces in this direction. At the conclusion of the session, resolutions were passed and committments were made to establish Jain Hostels at Allhabad, Ahmedabad, Meerut, Poona, Sangli and Belgaum, in addition to the existing ones at Bombay, Surat, Sholapur, Hubli and Kolhapur. Their vision has borne the fruit.
COMMERCE AND COMMUNITY OF GOMATAPUR
1200 - 1600 CENTURIES
There is an abundant epigraphs and historical records on the ancient city of Comatapur, which lie in the vicinity of present town of Sravanabelagola in the district of Hassan, Province of Karnataka. The epigraphs records, writes and refers to numerous business families of the times, their involvement in various kinds of trades, travels and their treasures. The achievements of the citizenry of Comatpur, their political and social influences and innovations; their theological characteristics and the use of their economic strengths in developing the region could reconstructed by undertaking a research work on the subject. The contribution of Mangayi, a wealthy business man, who built Tribhuvana Chaityalaya at Sravanabelagola, is only a key to the reconstruction of Comatapur's history. The research project will surely unravel the fascinating history of Jain Religion that occured at the times. This is a call for all people: Sainologists, Epigraphists, Scholars, Academics and Archealogists and Historians as well Jain institutions to allot time and resources for the intellectual cause and development of the Jain community.
JAIN COMMUNITY OF BUFFALO, NY ELECTS NEW STEERING COMMITTEE
The new Steering Committe of Buffalo Jain Community for the year 1989 consists of the following members: Dr Girish Chheda, John D'Arcangelo, Dr Jagat Prasad Jain, Ravi Pahade, Dr Dhiraj Shah and Dr Suresh Shah. The chairperson elect for the duration is Dr Dhiraj Shah.
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