Jain Spirit 2002 06 No 11

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 16

NEWS IN BRIEF
ANCIENT JAIN TEMPLE UNEARTHED Gujurat, India:
An ancient temple, which is said to have housed Hindu and Jain Gods was unearthed during a 100 feet excavation in May last year in Vadnagar, Gujarat. It is said that in 1968, after a local farmer stumbled upon two Jain murtis near the site, the local villagers and leaders of the nearby two communities excavated the area. It is believed that the temple is dated back to some time between the 11th and 13th century. Over forty Jain murtis were carefully preserved in the sand near the foundation of the temple. It is thought that the villagers buried the murtis to protect them from destruction caused by Muslim invasions, which was common at that time.
205 DAY FAST BY MAHASATI MOHANMALAJI India: Mahasati Mohanmalaji, who had been fasting for seven months, broke the fast on 6 January 2002 in the presence of her Guru Acharya Shivmuni. The Sadhviji accomplished an austerity fast for a record period of 311 days in 1996–97.
BHAGWAN MAHAVIR'S 2600TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS Ahimsa University, Indore, India: The Madhya Pradesh State Government has accepted the proposal submitted by Jains to establish an Ahimsa University at Indore and to provide the necessary land. Digambara and Shvetambara sects have joined hands to put forth the proposal. It was further declared that out of the total requirement of Rs.20 crores for the project Rs.10 crores will be raised by the Jain community, while the Central and State Governments will contribute Rs.5 crores each. The State Government will allot the land in lieu of the cash grant.
PARK NAMED AFTER BHAGWAN MAHAVIR Lucknow, India: Hathi Park in Lucknow, India has been renamed as Bhagwan Mahavir Park. The local Jain community led by Acharya Viveksagarji and other monks brought a nine-feet-high marble murti in Padamasan posture of Bhagwan Mahavir for installation in the centre of the park.
ANCIENT JAIN SCULPTURE OF PADMAVATI FOUND Karnataka, India: An ancient stone sculpture of Padmavati has been found at the famous pilgrimage site of Shankara Honda, Sirsi, Karnataka. The black stone sculpture is about 50 cm high, 25 cm wide and 8 cm thick. It is dated from the 14-15th centuries, of post-Vijayanagar period. This is characterised with the carving of Jain yakshinis on either side of the Tirthankara sculpture. It is the samabhangi standing posture with dvibhuja (two hands); a lotus in the left hand, while the right hand is in the abhaya mudra. The facial portion is damaged but the sindoor on the forehead is visible and the hair is neatly combed and adorned by a hair ornament. The sculpture was probably installed in a Jain settlement but later it may have been thrown into the lake, as it may not have been worshipped. This reveals the existence and survival of the Jain tradition in the Kannada region.
JAINS JOIN HINDU-MUSLIM PEACE MARCH Ahmedabad, India: Hindus and Muslims marched together on 4 March 2002 through the streets shattered and bloodied by India s worst religious strife in a decade. As an uneasy calm ensued after days of killings, they commanded peace. Wearing white clothes to symbolise peace, about 250 people walked down the roads littered with debris, passed wreckages of torched shops and homes to the riverside spiritual retreat where Mahatma Gandhi declared his philosophy of non-violent protest. A few Jains also joined in the rally. Meanwhile, soldiers and paramilitary troops enforced an uneasy peace in the main cities and towns of Gujarat. NATIONAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITION India: INPEX EMPIREPEX-2001, an Indian National Philatelic Exhibition was held at Nasik between 22-26 December 2001, in which over 200 stamp collectors from all over India participated. Mr. Sudhir Jain, an eminent Jain from Nasik, exhibited 80 sheets of stamps and covers on Jainism. The collection was highly applauded by the visitors and the jury awarded it the Silver Bronze Medal. Mr Jain s collection was organised in this sequence: 1. Symbols of Jainism, 2. Essence of Jainism: conceptions, principles, admirers, Siddha, Panchkalyanak Tirthankaras and their identification signs and other pious souls, 3. Jain Pilgrimage Centres, 4. Jain Architecture, 5. Jain Personalities, 6. Jain Celebrations, 7. Jain Institutions, and 8. Jain Message to the World. Contact: mrsudhirjain@yahoo.com
AHIMSA VARSH, THE YEAR OF NON-VIOLENCE CELEBRATIONS USA: Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, USA and all Jain organisations of New York, New Jersey and surrounding areas jointly planned the concluding event on 13-14 April 2002 at Fords, New Jersey. Dr. L. M. Singhvi is the keynote speaker and several scholars, sadhus and sadhvis will give lectures. Presentations, publications, cultural events, recitation and rendition of Navkar Mahamantra, art and book exhibitions, youth speech and essay contests were also organised.
JAIN STATUES STOLEN Kanpur, India: Three Ashtdhatu (8 metals) murtis of Tirthankara Bhagwan were stolen recently from the Digambara Jain temple in Kanpur, India. It is sad to observe that thefts of murtis and other antique items from Jain temples have been happening in different parts of India more and more frequently. The stolen items are rarely recovered, nor are the culprits brought to justice.
14
Jain Spirit • June - August 2002