Jain Digest 2009 03 Vol 28 No 1

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

Page 20

of Peace and in a musical offering. The children performed exceptionally well by singing in harmony with the instruments like Piano and Tabla also played by the children.
Detroit Temple's 10th Anniversary Celebrated with Pomp and Splendour
The Jain Society of Greater Detroit (JSGD) organized a varied ten-day festival with great pomp and splendor from June 13-22 to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of our temple's 1st Pratishtha Mahotsav held in 1998. Society members and the Detroit community at large also celebrated the achievement of a major financial milestone - i.e., temple loans are all paid off. The anniversary program committee was chaired by Arvindbhai Shah (one of the many visionaries in our Sangh), and events were led by Prafulbhai Shah (Chair, Board of Trustees) and Rajiv Maheshwari (President, Executive Committee). Commemorative messages were received from well-wishers who ranged from the White House to elected senior political representatives. Anniversary celebration program highlights are summarized below:
Gurudev Chitrabhanu and Pramodaben graced the opening ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 13 (Day 1), with their message of greetings, followed by an evening of Bhavna, Dandia Raas and Sannedo Dances. Programs were held the entire weekend, ranging from religious pujas such as Kumbha & Akhand Deepak Sthapna, Jwara Ropan, Patla Pujan, Navgrah Pujan and Indra Mahotsava Puja (performed by youth members), to Gurudev and Pramodaben's lectures on popular topics such as "Dharma no Marma" and "Sadhana, Aradhana and Viradhana".
Detroit's area's own Professor Elizabeth Rohlman, a past Fullbright scholar (to MSR University, Baroda) in
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Sanskrit and Jain Studies, now teaching at University of Calgary, also addressed the event - she encouraged our youth to study the Jain Dharma in-depth, adding many of her comments/advice in Gujarati, which further engaged the audience. A cultural dance and entertainment show by talented Society youth and women members was held on June 14 highlights included the musical performance by about 20 children singing "Jivan Anjali Thajo" to the tabla beats provided by a seven-year old youngster, Mihir Zaveri.
Lively musical performances throughout the event were organized by Shri Narendrabhai Nandu and his talented group of musicians. Narendrabhai's group also recruited and prepared over 25 of the Society's enthusiastic amateur actors for the colorful re-enactment of the famous Shalibhadra story from our Jain scriptures, holding an entire gathering of over 700 audience members spellbound for four hours!
Daily Snatra pujas were held during the week days (attended by an average of 200 members), followed by daily community lunches and evening lectures by Gurudev and Pramodaben, as well as musical performances led by Narendrabhai, such as Trishalamata's Dreams, 108 Parashva Vandana, and a unique Jain Antakshri involving 48 participants - winning teams showed their melodious talents with rendering stavans and sutras on the fly!
On the second weekend (June 21-22), a mass Guru Gautamswami Pujan was held, involving over 80 sponsor families - each family received a marble statue of Gautamswami or a Yantra to take home after this 5-hour long pujan. Finally, the Society's pomp and community spirit were all evident at the annual dbwaja ceremony/installation and other religious celebrations which marked this annual event.
Detroit Temple's Mulnayak Pratimas decorated for 10th Anniversary celebrations 104-years old member, Shrimati Surajben "Kakiba" Doshi performs puja at 10th (Photo #362 courtesy of Saurabh Shab) anniversary (Photo #517 courtesy of Saurabh Shab)
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Jain Digest Winter 2009 www.jainelibrary.org