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Mr. J. L. JAINI'S LETTERS. ÎThe following three letters addressed by the late Mr. J. L. Jaini to Babu Puran Chand Nahar of Calcutta, in 1905 reveal to us the condition of our community two decades ago and Mr. Jaini's deep feeling and earnest desire to serve his conmunity for its amelioration. But alas ! in spite of his incessant trumpet call for unity, reform and progress, the history of our community during the quarter of a century gives a sorry account. The different sects have been fighting and are fighting even to-day against one another and spending lakhs of rupees to appropriate certain rights which are common to all the Jainas ; we are having amongst ourselves more opponents than advocates of reform ; and what can we say of progress when we are actually decreasing in numbers by 7000 every year. We hope Mr. Jaini's appeal will have the necessary response from all our youths. Ed. J. G.)
ALLAHABAD,
3rd August 1905. Dear Sir,
Will you permit me to approach you with the few following lines suggested to me ty a letter from my friend, Babu Nand Kishore B.A., Jaina, Sub-Deputy Magistrate in your city. He has written about you in a tone which speaks volumes for your patriotism and religiousness. As a stranger I ought not to be encroaching upon your time, but as a well-wisher of the Jaina Community and a sincere mourner of its present condition, I am just encouraged to draw your attention to the “Jaina Youngmen's Association of India," which for the last six years has been doing really good work under enormous disadvantages. But pious and generous men like yourself have encouraged its workers to stick on to their selfless labours and the result is that it now stands upon pretty sure ground. It has got its monthly organ also— The Jaina Gazette in English. I have the honor of being its Editor. I trust it will have your support and a circular letter which will reach you in a day or two and which is issued by the Secretary of the Association will meet with your kind acceptance.
33 Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
