Jain Digest 2005 07

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

Page 41

music and magical lighting. During the convention there were organized these programs and the competition rules. On the periodic stavans, artis, pujas and live classical flute music. opening night there was Raas and Garba night with live music Rajendrabhai Dalal from India conducted a Parswa Padmavati by the Satellite group from Bombay. An Inter-Center competiPoojan one afternoon and Uvasaggaharam Poojan on another tion - cultural program - on Saturday brought cheering audience afternoon.
on their feet demanding encore. JCNC entry in that competi
tion won the perpetual trophy which will proudly be displayed JAINA commissioned the JAINA Exhibit committee at Jain Bhawan for next two years. An evening of singing by (Sudhir & Anita Shah) to prepare an exhibition on Jain philos- Anuradha Paudwal and Manhar Udhas on Sunday was a real ophy. This 65 panel exhibit was presented for the very first time gem. People were seen running out of dining hall to secure good at the JAINA convention and has received high praises from seats in the auditorium long before starting of the program. Gurudev Chitrabhanuji and Pramodaben, Muni Shri Audience was dancing on the front of the stage to the rhythm of Jinchandraji, Sadhvi Shri Subhamaji and Samani
the Charitrapragnaji. All the panels of exhibition can be viewed on
Anuradhaji the JAINA website: "http://www.jaina.org/artexhibit/exhibit
and panels/". There were paintings by Alaka Dalal, Chandu Desai,
Manhar Yogendra Sethi, Vaishali Kothari, Surbhi Pandya and humorous
Udhas. The sketches by Mahendra Shah on the lives of Immigrant Indians
crowd lisin America. Internationally acclaimed photographer Robert
tened so Arnett also presented samplings of some of his photographs of
attentively India.
and appre
ciated their Mela - For the first time in JAINA Convention, it
singing that began with a Mela in the afternoon. JAINA President Anop
they Vora performed the opening ceremony of the Mela on Friday extended their program by an hour lasting well past midnight. Afternoon. It featured Prannic Healing, Acupressure, Massage therapy with music, Vastu Shastra, Gemstone Therapy based on
Marketing and Publicity - From the outset, the convenJain thinking, color therapy, Face makeup & Hair set with non tion committee had made a goal to make sure that all Jains in animal tested products, Mehandi and Rangoli. Minaxi Sethi North America were well aware of the convention programs and coordinated this event with many professionals in each of these activities. Hence, marketing team (Deepak Mithani, Purvi Shah, fields for their time.
Harish & Usha Shah and Vaishali Kothari) produced one-page
flyer in October 2004, a four page brochure in December 2004, Pre-Convention Tours - JAINA Convention broke new and a 16 page brochure in March 2005, convention souvenir, grounds by organizing tours for four days before the convention and program guide. "For our team, the convention started in to four major California attractions. These four tours included August 2004 and continued through July 2005 to develop this beautiful Yosemite Valley, Monterey peninsula including world material", says Jay Kamdar, chair of the Marketing committee. famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, San Francisco City, and San Jose's famous Tech Museum. Some 50 people took advantage of
A 200 page colorful Souvenir with congratulatory meseach of these tours. "They enjoyed these tours making their con- sages from President Bush, Governor Schwarzenegger, vention even more fruitful that they requested that tours be part California U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein and of all conventions", says Smitin Mehta, chair of the hospitality our spiritual leaders was distributed to all attendees. This soucommittee.
venir was produced in less than three months by the team lead
by editor, Pravin Turakhia. A programming Guide with daily Evening Entertainment - All of the above may sound schedules and listings of scholar's biographies helped in navigatlike scholarly pursuit of high ideas but overall the convention ing the three day convention. There were so many sessions that was indeed a fun place to be. Nitin Shah and his cultural team it was difficult to put them even on two pages.
_JAINA CONVENTION 2005 HIGHLIGHTS
Jain Education Intemational
Private Personal use
WWWL
atv.org
39. JAIN DIGEST SUMMER 2005