Jain Digest 2015 06

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

Page 51

JAIN DIGEST
Shree Digamber Jain Association (SDJD)
The SDJA is based in London, United Kingdom and is leadership of Laxmichandbhai BK Shah, he served as composed of Jains who follow a strand of Jainism based President for 12 years until the year 2002. on the exposition of Gurudevshree Kanji swami, who was based in Songadh, Gujarat, during the early 20th 1993 - 1994: Purchase of property to be our temple century
Pujyashree Kanji swami, after spending many years as a Jain monk in the Sthanakwasi sect and there after doing deep study of the Digamber Jain scriptures and meditation, decided to reside in the secluded village of Songadh in Saurashtra to do further study, meditate and pursue his goal, but soon found followers gathering around to learn the meanings of scriptures explained by him, and the impact of which later spread all over India and abroad to Kenya, UK, USA and other parts of world. Many swadhyay halls and temples were and are still being built in India to propagate his teachings of Jainism. In the early 1950s, 'mumukshus' in Nairobi On the inspiration of Bhagwanjibhai and his continuous Kenya formed a Mandal and later bought a property for a prompting that the mandal should purchase a property Swadhyay hall and temple but the pinnacle was reached for regular swadhyay and a mandir, after an extensive when a new Shikharbandh temple was consecrated and search, Laxmichandbhai was able to find the appropriate a panchkalyanak pratishtha mahotsava was held in the property with the planning permission for religious presence of Gurudevshree in 1980.
activities. In 1993, members unanimously agreed to
purchase the property, All the members committed 1981 - 1984: Indian mumukshus' come to London: generous donations for the purchase of the property. The Due to the political atmosphere in Kenya, some property needed considerable repairs and renovations, 'mumukshus' started migrating to the UK in the 1970s which were completed in record time and at most and continued their religious pursuits through swadhyay economic cost with the efforts of Laxmichandbhai The in groups. In 1981, Shree Virchandbhai Malde from opening ceremony was performed by Bhagwanjibhai in Songadh visited London, in 1982, Lalchandbhai Modi of the presence of a large gathering on the auspicious day Rajkot, who gave the benefit of swadhyay for nearly six of Gurudevshree's 104th Janma Jayanti on 16.05.1993. weeks. In 1984, Shree Shantibhai Revashankar stayed the daily activities started with full force and continues in London for nearly a year and gave lectures and taught to date with Puja, Gurudevshree's pravachan and methodically the basic principles of religion. This led to a swadhyay by our members Shree Premchand Meghji, larger following of 'mumukshus'.
Zaverchand Meghji, Amubhai Haria, Shital M. Shah,
Zaverchand Punamchand Shah and others. The festivals 1989 - 1993: Formation of London mandal :Shree of Paryushana, Mahavir Jayanti, Diwali, Gurudevshree's Bhagwanji Kachrabhai Shah, who had spent nearly 30 and Bahenshree's janma jayanti and various other years under the umbrella of Gurudevshree in Songadh, religious occasions are celebrated each year. migrated to London in 1982 and started regular swadhyay and teachings twice a week at his residence. The growing 1994 - 2001: Transformation of property into a number of 'mumukshus' taking interest in swadhyay and temple :The time had arrived to renovate and extend the learning, led by Zaverchandbhai and others, initiated property befitting a temple and a decision to this effect the idea of forming a mandal in London, which was was made by the members in 1994. The detailed study inaugurated as Shree Digamber Jain Association on and planning was undertaken and at the Annual General 17.09.1989. An interim committee was elected under the meeting of the members on 16.05.1999, members
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