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only hosts a unit of the Mahasabha, but also has a Digambar Jain Temple. The Mahasabha is also attempting to revive the magazine "Voice of Ahimsa" that used to be published during 1920s and 30s, and in which a number of scholars including Barrister Champatrai Jain, J. L. Jaini, Kamta Prasad Jain, Ajit Prasad Jain, etc. were involved.
In addition to these activities the Mahasabha's Foreign Department is also attempting to achieve the following objectives: (1) to encourage people involved in the teaching, study and research of Jainism all over the world; (2) to provide guidance and financial help to needy Jain students who wish to go abroad for pursuing higher studies; (3) to host Jain archeological exhibitions from time to time at different places; (4) to establish a guest house in Delhi which would be made available to the Jain visiters from abroad; (5) to publish a quarterly English/Hindi magazine pertaining to the activities of Jains abroad. (6) to get financial assistance from Diaspora Jains for preservation and development of Jain archaeological sites and places of pilgrimage in India; (7) to assist in preservation and development of Jain archaeological sites, old manuscripts, museum artifacts, etc which are located abroad. These objectives suggest that the Mahasabha is actively involved in establishing the multi-faceted homeland-Diaspora linkages within the global Jain community, particularly in North America. These objectives clearly suggest that the Mahasabha is actively involved in establishing the multi-faceted homeland-Diaspora linkages within the global Jain community.
Siddhachalam and Sarvodaya Teerth
Besides Mahasabha, many other Jain associations and individuals have been involved in different activities. We already alluded to the first U.S. visit of Jain Sthanakvasi Muni Sushil Kumarji in 1975. He was the first Jain Muni to have gone abroad. He extensively lectured in the U.S. not only on Jainism but also on ahimsa, ecological preservation, vegetarianism and world peace. Besides establishing Siddhachalam as a major pilgrimage centre in North America, he was also instrumental in establishing International Mahavir Jain Mission that was recognized by the United Nations as an NGO. At the same time Jainism was also recognized as a major world religion by the U.N. Spread over 120 acres of land, Siddhachalam hosts 27 houses and
110 Jains in India and Abroad
