________________
194
JAINA GAZETTE. (June & July than Mr. Seray Mal Bapna. It is a great pity that he is as good as lost to the public work of our community who have never made any serious or honest attempt to appreciate and utilise the inore advanced and enlightened members of our brotherhood. We, may yet express a hope that Mr. Bapna's rare talents may in good time benefit the community quite as much as they have done his friends and the State of the Maharaja of Indore.
A grand Pratishtha Mahotsavam was beld in June last in Walathi Village of Jingi Taluq. Jingi was the seat of the famous King Sivaji the Mountain Rat, and is a strong bill fortress. The Mabotsavam lasted for ten days and various processions, largely attended were led through the streets. Thousands of people were given a free dinner. The ceremonies were conducted by His Holiness Swasti Sri Sriman Lakshmi Sain Bhattarak Swami Avargal, the Jain high priest of Jina Banchimath at Melchittamur village.
The Jaids of Simla bave with the generous assistance of the Hon'ble Rai Babadur Lala Sultan Singh of Delbi, after all purchased the spacious church building near the Jain Sabha premises at a cost of Rs. 22,000. Our readers are aware that the Jain Sabha building which was hitherto used as a rest bouse, has been partly consecrated as a temple and it has therefore become essentially necessary to have a Dharmsala worthy of the Sammer Capital of the Government of India. The Mohammadans, the Arya Samajists and the Sanatan Dharmists all possess commodious and extensive Dbarmsalas of their own and it would be a great pity indeed if the Jains cannot raise sufficient movey to pay off the loan which has been generously advanced without interest to the local community. Besides the twenty-two thousand which has been paid for the building acquired, as much more will be needed to convert it into a commodious Dharamsala. We earnestly appeal to the pious Seths and Sabukars to give a useful and pious direction to their
charities and to obtain renown and gratitude at the same time Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
