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JA IN DIGEST
started with Snatra Puja followed by Aarti, Mangal Divo Shanti Kalash and dinner. Mrs. Jayaben Koradia was honored by president Sharad Shah for her recent tapascharya of MaasKhaman.
The Jain Center of Cincinnati and Dayton held its Mahavir Jayanti Celebration at the Ankur Gujarati Samaj Hall in Cincin nati on April 29. There was an informative lecture by Kim Skoog, professor of Philosophy and Religion at Maryland State University, Frostburg. He spoke on the evolution of religion and emphasized the practicality of Jain rituals compared to other religions. There also was a Gurba done by several
Cincinnati youth members and Monica Jhaveri performed a Children Singing Aarti-Mangal Divo at Westland Michigan unique religious dance.
** Jains All Over North America **
Celebrate Mahavir Jayanti
M ahavir was the 24th and last Tirthankar of Jains.
IV He was born more than 2,500 years ago, in a small town in North India. His father's name was Siddhartha and his mother's name was Trishla. Mahavir was a prince but he left his royal household, gave up his worldly possessions and became a monk at the age of 30. He spent the next twelve and one-half years in training to conquer his feelings of desires. He did this by spending long periods in silence and deep thought on the meaning of life and the soul and by giving up normal pleasures and comforts. He went without food for long Mahavir Jayanti Celebration at the Jain Center of Northern periods of his life. He carefully avoided harming or annoying California other people and any living creatures. He took nothing that did not belong to him and he always told the truth. As a result, he gained greater knowledge and wisdom than anyone else in
The Jain Center of Greater St. Louis celebrated Mahavir the world. This infinite knowledge is called Kevalgyan.
Jayanti on March 31 and April 1 with Shri Yogeesh Muni, an He organized the Jain community into monks and nuns; and
experienced Yogi and teacher. ordinary men and women. He taught them the rules of conduct
The Jain Center of Southern California sponsered its two which he learned himself above all non-violence.
day celebration on June 30 and July 1. The Jain Center of He spent the next thirty years traveling on foot around the
America and the Jain Society of Rochester held their celebracountry talking to the people and teaching them the way to
tions on April 22. permanent happiness. When he was 72, in 527 B.C., he The Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington held its cele. achieved Moksha.
bration on April 7. Over 250 people attended. Mahavir's teachings are written in books called Agams.
The Jain Society of Rochester celbrated Mahavir Jayanti on Agams are ancient, sacred books containing descriptions of the Jain religion, rules of conduct, Jain geography, astronomy, mathematics, hymns and even good stories.
A number of Jain Centers in North America celebrated Mahavir Jayanti in April 1990.
The Jain Center of Northern California celebrated Mahavir Jain Sangh Holds Pratishtha Mahaotsav Jayanti on April 8. Snatra Pooja was performed by Mr. Natubhai and Mrs. Ranjanben Shah. Aarati, Mangal Deevo The Jain Sangh, Inc. of Tri-State New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Shanti Kalash followed the Pooja. Group singing and land Delaware had a celebration of Pratishtha Mahaotsav devotional songs were lead by Pravin Turakhia, a slide show at their temple in Pennsarken, New Jersey on May 28. The three on Bhagwan Mahavir Swami's life by Prem Jain and a Swa- day program started with Snatra Puja and Bhavna on May 26, mivatsalya dinner followed the program.
with a full-day program on May 27 which included lectures The Hindu Society of Alberta held it's Mahavir Jayanti by several Dharamgurus. JAINA was represented by Naresh celbration on April 7 and 8 with several Pujas, devotional songs Shah, F.J. Dalal, Manoj Dharamsi, and Sanat Jhaveri. Many and priti bhojan.
others were also present from all over the U.S. Swamivatsalya The Jain Society of Greater Detroit celebrated Mahavir Jay- was attended by about 2,200 people. An excellent, cultural anti on April 7. The program was sponsored by Arvindbhai program was presented with the cooperation of area Jain and Jayaben Shah of Troy, Michigan and Shrikumar and organizations and was narrated by Seema Shah and Dhiren
Mayurikaben Poddar of Lansing, Michigan. The program Shah, coordinated by Mahesh Shah and Hansa Shah.. Jain Education Interational 2010_02 For Private & Personal Use Only
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