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REGIONAL NEWS....
CANADA Dr. Mahendra Mehta, Regional Editor The 'Daslaxana' celebrations was carried we have ever had from this area. During on by a dedicated members. They per
this summer we had many dignitaries startformed puja, swadhyay and Pravachan ev
ing with Shri Niraj Jain in June who exTORONTO, ONT ery day. Pandit Dhirubhai gave talk on
plained the Samyak Darshan in great detail the importance of Das Laxana.
mainly in a Q&A form. Dr. Bharill visited The Toronto Jain Sangh celebrated 2001
us in July after the JAINA Convention and Paryushan Parva in greater number this year
Our next visitor to Toronto was Panditji
covered a chapter from the Samaysar. Pandit and best so far. The Executive Committee Dhirubhai Mehta. Panditji continued with
Dhirajbhai Mehta came during the Das of the Jain Centre organized the whole Parva Anandganji's poetry celebrating twenty-four
Laxan days and covered the ten types of Yati exceedingly well with facilities for Tapasvis Tirthanakars. Bhartiben Ghatalia sang the
Dharma in Hindi in his very simplistic style. to sleep over at the Centre, three fresh meals stanzas in appropriate raga and Panditji ex
He also introduced the Eight Drushtis provided everyday to anyone who came to plained in detail the meaning of each line.
Sajjay which will be covered in future. the Centre and a full day's program every- There was a very good attendance for this
Sunandaben Vohra came in early Septemday. One mother of two said when our presentation.Panditji also continued with
ber and covered reasons and ways to keep Centre provided such facilities as it did, her Tattvarth Sutra, again started 3 years ago
on attaining Sadgati and avoid Durgati. eight fasts became possible. There were and completed last two chapters this time.
Paryushan Parva celebration with daily eight individuals who performed "Athai Before Paryushan, we also had a week
Pratikraman and Tapasya for eight days Tap" and one lady did 'Kheer Samudra' or end visit from Samanijis Akshay Prajna and
leading to the Das Laxan Parva and confifteen day fast. Many more tapsvis did six, Sanamati Prajna during July 20-22.
tinued through September 1st with Pujas three, one fast. Samanijis presentation on Relaxation Tech
and Swadhyay sessions. Swapna darshan We were fortunate to have Dr. Jitendra niques and Preksha Dhyana Meditation was
ceremony started with Snatra Puja and Shah, M.A., Ph.D., Acharya, Jain Darshan well attended and much appreciated.
usual Ghee bolis.Samvatsari Pratikraman during Paryushan Parva. Dr. Shah is the
was held at two places on August 22nd. youngest Director of L.D. Institute of EDMONTON, ALBERTA
Pratikraman in English (for the benefit of Indology in Ahmedabad, an institute that At the Interfaith Prayer service to welcome our youth) was conducted on su has spearheaded searching, collecting, pre- the athletes for the 2001 World Games held gust 5, 2001. Das Laxan Pratikraman was serving, deciphering and cataloguing Jain
in Edmonton, J.V.Mehta represented on September 1 and Kshmavani Puja on and other manuscripts and now has an in- Albertajains.
Sep. 3rd. Besides 11 upvas by Ami valuable collection of 75,000 different The funds raised for Gujarat Earthquake
Lakdawala and 9 upvas by Damjibhai Shah manuscripts. Relief Funds in Edmonton, $15,000 was
there were 10 Atthais and various other The morning started with Snatra Puja approved to be channelled through JAINA
Tapasya. Swami Vatsalya is scheduled for followed by the Kalpa Sutra reading then
and $25,000 was sent to the Anarde Foun- Sep. 16.JSNT contact is our current presion to lunch. In the afternoon Jitendrabhai
dation of the Chandaria Family. More funds dent Swatee Kalamkar at 972-530-7356. began 2-hour lucid explanation of are expected from other sources. Jitendra
JSNT web site is DFWJains.org.
SNT web Yashovijayji's Adhyatmasar. This treatise
& Neeta Koticha hosted the Savantsari written some 300 years ago contains 933
Pratikraman on August 22. Ashvin & slokas in Sanskrit and difficult to under- Jayshree Shah distributed a CD titled PHOENIX, AZ stand for mere mortals. But Jitendrabhai Prabhu Pooja as Prabhavana for the occa
Jain Center of Greater Phoenix observed made it interesting and understandable. sion.
Paryushan Parva Bharatbhai Shah, a Jain In the evening after light supper and
scholar from Ghatkopar - Mumbai, gave Pratikraman talks on varied subjects such SOUTHWEST
Pravachans after the daily Pratikraman. as Great Acharyas of Jainism, Tools of Self
Mahavir Janma and Sapna darshan took Jadavji Kenia, Regional Editor realisation, Rules for the Sravak and many
place on Sunday and over 125 people parmore interesting topics.
ticipated in it. Samvatsari Pratikramans The Swapana Darshan was so well at
were held in Gujarati and in English for tended that many had to congregate out- NORTH TEXAS (DALLAS AREA)
children. Parna ceremony was held on Auside the Jain centre. The funds raised dur- This year the Jain Society of North Texas
gust 23rd followed by Dash-Laxana Parva ing the afternoon, highest so far, reflected was represented by as many as 60 people at During Paryushan there were three Atthais the excitement of all the participants. the JAINA Convention which is the most
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