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DAAN KING interview
Winner of the 2005 Gujarat Garima Award, Mr. Dipchand Gardi talks to Jain Spirit about his philosophy...
What? He is known by his giving, not his taking. When he was 11 years old, he prayed to the family deity to empower him to give 1000 Rupees daily to the needy. He did not ask anything for himself.
Who? Mr. Dipchand Gardi, age 90, lives in Mumbai. He is widely known and respected as one of the pillars of the Jain community in India.
How did he earn the money? Qualified as a barrister from England, he invested the earnings from his legal practice in real estate in Mumbai and retired from the profession in 1965 to focus purely on charity. He attributes his personal success to his punya or good karma.
He believes that everyone has a right to earn a living, but should do so by fair and just means. The means are as important as the ends. If the surplus is used for self-entertainment or ego or status, then the money will corrupt and destroy happiness. Simplicity is key. We should try to live not expecting anything from anyone - if we are lucky to get it, we should use it to help others less fortunate than ourselves, whatever faith or species they may come from!
All charity should be selfless, without any expectation of return of any kind.
"If you do not give daily to charity after I die, I will come back again at your place as your son," Mr. Gardi famously told his grandsons Binoy and Hiten. Their response? "You will have to come back, to see that we will double what you are currently donating."
What is important is the here and now - not tomorrow, or even moksha, but what we do in the present moment. Mr. Gardi's home and dress are very simple there is no excess or show anywhere.
In front of 25,000 people, he was recently given the Gujarat Jewel Award by the Vice-President of India, the most prestigious award for any Gujarati.
Interview: Atul K. Shah
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NAIROBI TO NGORONGORO: A RIDE FOR HUNGER
orty-two very tired cyclists returned to the UK having joined hands with their colleagues in Kenya and ridden 152 miles on a journey which began on 26 March.
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The cycle ride started south of Nairobi and was organised by the Kenyan group Food for Life. Food For Life is a project started in 1974 by an elderly Indian swami, Srila Prabhupada. He asked his followers to make sure no one within a ten mile radius of the local temple would go hungry. The programme grew quickly and now operates in over 60 countries worldwide, providing freshly cooked vegan and vegetarian sanctified meals served directly to the public.
This particular group event was organised by Veerayatan (UK), and raised over £200,000 to feed 7,500 meals per week for life. Mahendra Mehta, the chairman commented, "This was a fantastic adventure. Starting
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