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"I object to violence because when it
appears to do good,
the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent."
-- Mohandas K. Gandhi --
Saints
SAINTS CHATURMAS CAUSES HIGH RELIGIOUS FERVOR IN DELHI
Jain Sewtambar Sthanakwasi saints belonging to Shraman Sangh,
namely, Poojya Upadhyay Shri Ramesh Muni Ji Maharaj, Up-Pravartak
Dr. Rajendra Muni Ji Maharaj, young scholarly saint Shri Surendra
Muni, Shri Roopendra Muni and Shri Dipesh Muni were given a
tumultuous welcome by hundreds of devotees on their entry into Veer
Nagar Jain Colony of Delhi for their Chaturmasic stay. During this
period various types of religious activities including discourses
by saints tapasya, swadhyay, mangal-path, discussions etc. are
being regularly performed. Devotes have been pouring in form
different parts of Delhi and even outside Delhi for darshan.
The 34th birth anniversary of one of the senior saints in the
group, Shri Surendra Muni was celebrated on 5th August by the
religious devotees of Delhi and other places, like Bhatinda,
Ludhiana, Jullunder, Faridkot, Panipat and Bhilwara. On 12th
August, Birth anniversary of the late Acharya Shri Anand Rishi Ji
Maharaj, was celebrated by holding ‘logass’ path recitation,
felicitation of a lady performing month long fasting and holding
prayers. Excellent arrangements have been made by the organizers
of Chatursmas at Veer Nagar for stay and meals of out-station
visitors.
TEMPLES
BAHUBALI STATUE AT SHRAWANBELGOLA DECLARED AS ONE OF THE SEVEN
WONDERS IN INDIA -
According to a readers' survey conducted by the Times of India,
the Bahubali statue at Shrawanbelgola in Karnataka state has been
declared as one of the seven wonders of India. The statue is 17.38
meters tall in standing posture and is made of stone in one single
piece. Situated between two hills, on the bank of a lake. This
place is a major pilgrimage centre for Jain community in the
country and is the main attraction of the state of
Karnataka. Karnataka
Minister for Tourism B. Sriramulu informed that the Govt. would provide
sound and light shows at ,
Shravanabelagola in 2007-08.
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SCULPTURE
PARTLY BURIED IN A MOUND IN RAMANATHAPURAM VILLAGE
The mystery: The statue of
a Jain Tirthankara was found at Pasumpon
village in Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district three weeks ago. Is it the sculpture of Adinatha, first Tirthankara of
Jainism, or Mahavira? This question
has been haunting K.T. Gandhirajan, specialist in art history, for
more than three weeks after he found that beautiful sculpture in a
small mound at Pasumpon village. The lower portion of the sculpture,
buried in the mound, holds the key to the question. But villagers
may not allow the sculpture to be pulled out.
The sculpture shows a Jain Tirthankara in a seated posture. It has
a well-proportioned body with broad shoulders. The Tirthankara’s
eyes are half closed and he has curly hair. Surrounding his head
is a simple semi-circular prabhavali (arch), topped by a
triple-umbrella. Creeper designs fill the space above. There are
two chamdaris (chowri-bearers) cast in a tribhanga pose. According
to K. Mohan, Inspector of police, a person known as Muthuramalinga Thevar, used to lead the
villagers in offering worship to the image on Tamil new year day
in April every year. The sculpture used to be anointed with oil
and bathed with water. The practice stopped after Thevar died in
1963. Now it is lying half-buried in the mound. It is the buried
portion which will reveal whether the sculpture is that of
Adinatha or Mahavira. The triple umbrella is common to both. Courtesy : Pankaz Hingarh,Mumbai.
JAINS HOLD
PROTEST MEETING against Rajasthan government
Bangalore: The Shree Adinath
Jain Swetambar Temple Trust, Bangalore, organised a meeting at the
Shikshara Sadan here on Sunday in protest against the taking over
of the ancient Shree Kesariyaji Temple in Dhuleva Raj village near
Udaipur by the Rajasthan Government. According to the trust convener,
Devkumar K. Jain, the Supreme Court had declared the temple as a
Jain pilgrimage centre and had directed that a committee be formed
consisting of members of the community to run the temple. Despite the order, the Rajasthan
Government was trying to take over the temple, Mr. Devkumar Jain
said. It was the richest Jain pilgrimage
centre in the world with 550 acres of land and 40 marble and
granite mines on its premises, he said. The meeting decided that
the Jains would take out a rally to Jaipur and continue the
agitation through non-violence means.
CONFERENCES, SEMINARS & EVENTS
NEXT JITO FAIR TO BE HELD
IN MUMBAI
The Jain International Trade
organisation (JITO) will be organizing the next trade fair from
3rd January to 6th January, 2008 again at Mumbai Exhibition
Center, N.S.E. Ground, Goregaon (East), Mumbai. The convener of
the fair, Shri Padam Chand Jain from Jaipur informed the press
that the sole objective of holding the fair was to strengthen
financial, educational and spiritual status of Jain community. The
fair will include seminars, group discussions, a trade exhibition
of the products manufactured by members of Jain community in India
and abroad and a Jain cultural pavilion. It has been planned to
put up about 800 stalls at the fair which will go a long way in
establishing international contacts. Eminent industrialists,
scholars specialists, management managers, ministers and
parliamentarians will be speaking in different sessions of the
seminars.
BABA RAM DEV VISITS JAINA CONVENTION AT NEW JERSEY
Internationally acclaimed for popularizing Yoga amongst the
masses, Baba Ram Dev was invited to attend the Jaina convention
held at New Jersey , USA from 5th to 7th July, 2007. Baba Ram Dev
addressed the convention at its main session. He talked at length
on the convention theme, "Relevance of Jainism in the present
context" and expressed his high degree of regards and appreciation
for Jain religion and its guiding principles, particularly,
ahimsa. Shri Shri Ravi Shankar was also likewise invited at the
convention to deliver his address.
SWAMI RAM
DEV ORGAMSES- YOGA CAMPUS IN AFRICA
Swami Ram Dev has presently
been touring different African countries with a mission to make
the world disease-free. His tour covers Kampola (Uganda) from 11th
Aug. to 16th Aug 2007, Mombassa (Kenya) from 18th Aug to 23rd Aug
2007, Dar-es-Salam (Tanzania) from 25th Aug to 30th Aug 2007 and
Nairobi (Kenya) from 4th September to 9th September 2007.
BABA RAMDEV INVITED TO ADDRESS HOUSE OF COMMONS AT LONDON
The Yoga guru Baba Ram Dev was invited to meet and address the
members of the House of Commons (Parliament) at London at a
special session. He talked about the theory and practice of Yoga
and gave demonstrations of yoga and Pranayam before the
Parliamentarians. The members of House of Commons were highly
impressed by the presentation and demonstrations given by Baba Ram
Dev.
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HONOURS
NEWSMAKER:
RAJ JAIN
This week Raj Jain, President of Wal-Mart’s operations in India,
was splashed all over the Indian media as the face of the world’s
largest retailer. Jain joined the company only last
May as the president of emerging markets and has since worked
closely with Wal-Mart vice chairman Mike Duke to forge the 50:50
cash-and-carry joint venture with Bharti Enterprises in India. At a time when climbing the ranks
without a MBA degree is next to impossible, Jain, 48, has achieved
immense success. He has held three
very different jobs so far. The first, after concluding his
bachelor degree in mechanical engineering from Delhi School of
Engineering, was with Unilever in 1980 as a management trainee. The second was with Whirlpool in
1996, post the acquisition of Kelvinator. This time, Jain had to
shift to Shanghai. And though this led to major adjustments for
himself and his family, Jain was most excited by the opportunity
of overseeing the “integration of an acquisition”. Moving beyond the US, Jain is now
in-charge of selling this “Wal-Mart is good for India” vision.
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“VAGEESHWARI PURUSKAR” TO VIVEKANAND JAIN (BANARAS) FOR THE YEAR
2007 - In the gracious presence of Jain Monk 108 Balacharya Yogindra Sagar Ji Maharaj with group (Sasangh)
and in the presence of Charukirti Bhattarak Swamy (Mulbadri) Sri
Vevekanand Jain, Assistant Librarian, Central Library, Banaras
Hindu University received an award known as “Vageeshwari Puruskar”
for the year 2007 at Sree Mahaveer Ji District Karoli, Rajasthan
(India). This award is given by “National Non-Violence Unity
Foundation Trust” Ujjain every year to a young Jain scholar for
their contribution to the society. Sri Chandra Prakash Pandey (Ratlam)
is the president, Sri Mahendra Jain (Kota) as Vice – president and
Dr. Savita Jain (Ujjain) is working as secretary for this
foundation.
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MISCELLANEOUS
‘JAINISM, BUDDHISM ARE NOT HINDUISM’S DENOMINATIONS’ - GUJARAT
GOVERNOR -
Gujarat Governor has returned the Freedom of Religion
(Amendment) Bill, 2006; which was passed by the state Assembly during
the monsoon session in September last year. Finding it
not in conformity with the concept of freedom of Religion as
embodied in Article 25 (1) of the Constitution, Governor Nawal
Kishore Sharma has returned the Gujarat Freedom of Religion
(Amendment) Bill, 2006. The Bill was passed by the state Assembly
during the monsoon session in September last year. The governor has held that Jainism
and Buddhism are recognized as religions rather than denominations
of Hinduism, something that the Amendment Bill sought to convey.
The Amendment Bill — to make changes in the Gujarat Freedom of
Religion Act, 2003, enacted by Modi's Government — would have excluded conversions amongst
Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains from the purview of the 2003 Act,
which required prior permissions from the district administration. Elaborating the meaning of a
convert, the Amendment Bill showed Buddhism and Jainism as
denominations of Hindu religion, as Shias and Sunnis are of Islam,
or Catholics and Protestants are for Christianity. The governor
has found this objectionable, and asked the state Assembly to
reconsider the change.
A press release issued by Raj
Bhawan here on Tuesday, said that the proposed amendment would
amount to withdrawing the protection against forceful or
inappropriate religious conversions, particularly in case of the
Jains and Buddhists. The release cites large-scale
protests from different religious and social organizations,
especially from the Jain and Christian communities, in indicating
toward the unacceptability of the proposed amendment. Delegations that met Sharma
following the passage of the Bill last year, particularly objected
to the inclusion of Jainism as a sect of Hinduism. The seemingly
innocuous change had attracted widespread protests from the All
India Digambar Jain Dharam Sanrakshini Sabha.
Sharma considered the proposed
amendment in the light of these protests and visits, and has
concluded that even the Supreme Court has ruled that Jainism is a
“special religion” formed on the basis of quintessence of
Hinduism, and not as a denomination of Hinduism. Building on this argument, Sharma
has held that the amendment would make it difficult for the state
to prevent forceful conversion of Jains into Hindus, and thus goes
against the spirit of Article 25 (1) of the Constitution that
guarantees freedom of religion. The press release says that it
impairs the freedom of conscience, and protection against forced
or fraudulent conversions.
A section opposed to the Bill had
found it to be part of the larger design of the Sangh Parivar. “If
Buddhists are treated as part of Hinduism, then all its followers
in China, Japan and much of South-East Asia become Hindus,” said
Girish Patel, a noted social activist. The Modi Government seems to have
been caught off guard by the Governor’s returning of the Amendment
Bill. Expressing reactions, Cedric Prakash,a Human rights
activist said - “We have protested against both the original Act
and the amendment. It was draconian, anti-constitutional, and went
against the freedom guaranteed both by our Constitution and the
universal declaration of human rights. State should not have
anything do with the individual’s right to believe or even not
believe, and that has been our stand."
COUNTRY-WIDE ARTIFICIAL FEET
REPLACEMENT CAMPS FROM APRIL, 20th TO OCTOBER 20th - On the occasion of fiftieth diksha anniversary of Poojya Ganini
Aryika Shri 105 Suparshwamati mataji maharaj, country-wide campaign
has been launched by the 'Aryika Suparshwamati mataji Swarnim
Diksha Mahotsava Samiti', to eradicate disability due to Polio and
provide artificial feet to about 5000 people living in villages
all over the country. The campaign had been started at Calcutta on
Akshya Tritiya day, the 20th April, '07 in the auspicious presence
of Digambar Muni Shri Prasanna Sagarji Maharaj and by the end of
June, about 1500 disabled persons had been provided with
artificial feet by holding 18 camps, free of cost. In
the remaining few months from July to October period, about 40
villages are going to be covered in different states. Once
provided with artificial feet, a person can walk comfortably,
drive a cycle and even climb on a hill. Various charitable
organisations are offering their cooperation for this purpose.
The main donors so far are Akhil Bharatiya Marwari Yuva manch,
Calcutta and Sethi Trust (Silchar/ Guwahati/ Delhi). Donations for
this righteous and sacred work are welcome at the rate of Rs.
1100/- per foot, by the organising committee, 'Aryika
Suparshwamati mataji Swarnim Diksha Mahotsava Samiti' at Shri
Bharat-varshiya Digambar Jain (Teerth Sanrakshini) Mahasabha, 609,
Bhandari House, 91, Nehru Place, New Delhi-110019. The campaign
will be concluded at Jaipur on the 21st October, 2007.
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COMPLETE BAN ON SMOKING
IMPOSED IN GREAT BRITAIN
A total ban has been imposed on smoking in Britain through a law
passed recently by the House of Commons to be effective from 1st July,
2007. Saturday, the 31st June, being the last night for smoking
was celebrated at many places by farewell ceremonies. It will be
of interest to know that this ban has already been imposed earlier
in Scotland, Wales and North Ireland. The Chief Medical Officer of
U. K., Sir William Donaldson expressed his firm conviction that
this step will help in saving the lives of hundreds of people in
the country.
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JITO
TO HELP STUDENTS PREPARING FOR UPSC EXAMINATIONS Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO), Mumbai are
now going into
the field of doing service to mankind. Their main purpose is to work for the upliftment
of the Jain community in India and abroad. As part of their
project they are going to sponsor the aspiring and eligible Jain
students to prepare for the courses to be conducted for UPSC
(Union Public Service Commission) in India. This is a very
important and huge project taken by them for the benefit of all
Jains. Thus they would like to have the list of all the aspiring
and eligible Jain students who would be interested in making their
career in Indian Administrative Services in different fields.
UPSC conducts a common Civil
Services Exam for about 26 services like IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS, etc.
About 4 lac students appear for public service examinations every
year. Out of these, about ten thousands pass preliminary entrance
exams and selected for Main exams and about 1,500 finally passes
and are selected for interview. Finally, every year about 500
candidates are selected for the top All India Class-I Services. At
State Level also similar exams are held for State Civil Services
and total of 4,000 candidates are selected for various Central &
State Govt. levels. The proposed coaching by JITO will immensely
benefits to Jain students. For any information you can contact
Mr. Shridhar Jamadagni, Sr. Business Development Manager, JITO,
Phone: 022- 6610 2003 / 6610 2004, E-Mail :contact@jito.org
Courtesy: Mr. Rajan Parekh, E-Mail :
parekhrajan@gmail.com
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YOUR MEDICINES CONTAIN ANIMALS INGREDIENTS?
The use of animal ingredients in
medicines is far less talked about but it is a major problem for
the five million people in the UK who avoid some or all animal
products for reasons of faith, ethics or allergy. With the advent
of legislation such as the Equality Act 2006 there is mounting
concern that the ethical, spiritual and dietary needs of these
groups should be properly recognised and addressed in respect of
all goods and services, including those offered by the
pharmaceutical and medical sectors.
The Act will see the establishment
of The Equality Commission in October, but the Department of
Health is ahead of the game — it has already appointed a director
of equality and human rights, Surinder Sharma, to ensure that it
meets the requirements of the new legislation. This is
particularly important considering that many medical goods and
services are of necessity and are provided when the receiver is at
his or her most vulnerable.
Vitamin K injection is a prime
example. The injection, which is routinely administered to newborn
babies to prevent haemorraghic disease of the newborn, used to be
free of ingredients derived from animals but the formula was
recently changed to include a substance derived from bovine bile,
making it unsuitable for Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs,
vegetarians and vegans, to name but a few.
Neither the change in composition
nor the availability of any alternative was properly publicised
and, as a result, many babies have been, and continue to be,
injected with cow products without their parents’ knowledge or
consent. A plant-based alternative is available on a named patient
basis but most health care staff seem to be unaware of this.
(Admittedly, this product is currently supplied in a gelatine
capsule, but the manufacturer has expressed willingness to change
this.)
Gelatine is commonly encountered in
medicines. Derived from animal collagen (mainly porcine and
bovine), it is used in the preparation of pastes, pastilles,
suppositories and capsule shells, immediately rendering these
products unacceptable to many vegetarians. An intravenous infusion
is also used as a plasma volume expander. In addition, some
over-the-counter aspirin and antacid preparations contain lactose
or non-plant stearates, used to enhance the production of the
tablets. Often this is only mentioned in the small print on the
leaflet within the packaging and some people find themselves
unwittingly consuming substances that they would find
unacceptable.
The pharmaceutical industry must
highlight the presence of all animal ingredients as clearly as is
required of the food industry. For example, medicines could be
labeled “suitable for vegetarians”. This would remove the need
for people to read every ingredient in a medicine and to work out
if it is of animal origin. “The Vegetarian Society" urges the
medical profession to take into account vegetarians’ beliefs as
far as is practicable when prescribing medicines” .
There is a great deal to be done.
After two years of knocking on doors in the pharmaceutical
industry, a breakthrough came when Mr. Sharma hosted a meeting
between various stakeholders, including Hindu and Jain
representatives and members of the procurement and pharmaceutical
sectors of the health service. The meeting, in March, identified
the enormous scale of the problem facing thousands of patients and
health care workers every day, and the need for better information
at every point in the chain between producer and consumer,
including consultations with a health care professional and the
dispensing and sale of medicines. As well as informing patients
and customers, pharmacists could play a crucial role in informing
procurers and other health care professionals. A further meeting,
held in May, was attended by representatives from the Association
of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, the Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and drug companies, like
Wyeth Research.
Industry representatives were
concerned about the cost factors involved but also highlighted
that substituting an animal ingredient could alter the potency of
a formulation. However, as a result of the meeting, Richard
Barker, director general of the ABPI, promised to highlight the
issue at all levels of the industry. It was also agreed that
pharmacists have a key role to play in helping industry to
understand and meet the needs of patients in our modern,
multicultural world. Courtesy : Mr. Atul Bafna, E-Mail :
abafna@yahoo.com.
50-BED 'DHARMASHALA'
INAUGURATED AT MAHAVIR CANCER SANSTHAN, PATNA
PATNA: A dharmashala constructed by Mahavir Cancer Sansthan was
inaugurated by Nizamuddin Saheb of Imarat Shariya on Wednesday. In
his inaugural address, Nizamuddin lauded the efforts made by the
Sansthan for providing medical facilities to cancer patients not
only of the state, but also of adjoining states. Speaking on the
occasion, administrator, Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts,
Kishore Kunal said besides the Sansthan, Mahavir Temple Trust was
also running several welfare hospitals and institutions which
included Mahavir Arogya Sansthan and Mahavir Vatsalya Hospital.
The hospital has the facility of only 300 indoor beds, he said,
adding that the dharmashala at present has the facility to
accommodate 50 patients and 25 out of them would get free
treatment. Patients paying Rs 30 would get a room with all the
facilities, he said and added that 25 more rooms would be
completed by September. The dharmashala would have the capacity to
accommodate 100 patients. BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha has donated Rs
25 lakh from his MP quota and soon another dharmashala having a
capacity of 100 beds would be constructed.
NEW BOOKS RECEIVED
‘I too have a right to live’ (Hindi) by Scholarly saint
Shri Surendra Muni, disciple of Up-Pravartak Shri Rajendra Muni (Swetambar
Sthanakwasi Sect) with a message from Dr. Girija Vyas,
Chair-person, National Commission for women, Government of India.
Published by Shri Tarak Guru Jain Granthalaya, Udaipur. II Ed.,
2007. Price Rs. 100/-
The book is lucidly written in the form of a novel to illustrate
the dark side of girl child-killing and the social and
psychological impact of the evil practice of girl foeticide
amongst the entire society. The book should be read by all the
young generation, both boys and girls. The pious effort made by
the young saint will go a long way in causing an awakening amongst
the youngsters to stop the unfortunate and deplorable act.
“Paraya Dhan” (Others’ Wealth) written by saint Shri
Surendra Muni Ji Maharaj
Published by Shri Tarak Guru Jain Granthalaya, Udaipur. Price
Rs.100/- Year 2006.
The book is well written by the scholarly Jain Muni to illustrate
the sacrifices being made by women to fulfill the wishes and
desires of their husbands and in-laws. The text of the book is in
the form of a novel so that it can make an interesting reading and
leave a lasting imprint on the minds of readers. It throws light
on the expectation, aspiration, emotions and sentiments of a woman
when she enters her future house just after her marriage. The
treatment that the young woman receives in case of many greedy
mothers & father-in-law, backed by the selfish husbands creates a
storm in her mind. In many cases, she becomes alone and finds it
impossible to face the situation resulting in suicide,
bride-killing or bride-burning. The book is an eye-opener for the
entire society.
Yoga–Vigyan (Science of Yoga) in Hindi by saint Rupendra
Muni
Published by Dr. Rajendra Muni Charitable Mission, I Ed. 2005,
Delhi. Price Rs. 100/-
Shri Rupendra Muni is the disciple of Sthanakwasi Shraman Sangh
Up-Pravartak, Dr. Rajendra Muni. Born in 1983, he accepted Muni
diksha at Udaipur. Having passed the Bachelor’s degree, he
acquired Masters Degree in Sanskrit and Prakrit and since than he
has been following the practice of Swadhay, meditation and yoga.
This book is his first attempt as a writer. It gives brief but
comprehensive description with illustrations of various techniques
of yoga, starting with small introduction of Pranayam, then
different types of Asanas, hand-mudras, meditation, Namaskar
Mantra, food and health. Useful questions and answers are also
appended for the inquisitive minds.
Yoga is an ancient subject, both in Vedic and Jain shastra. Our
sages used to practice and preach Yoga and great saints, in
ancient and medival period, like Acharya Kundkund, Siddhsena,
Samant bhadra, Bhadrabahu II, Umaswati , Haribhadra and Hemchandra,
to name the few, are well-known. During the contemporary period
again, many eminent saints, like Ratan Chand Ji, Srimad Raj
Chandra and Yashovijay Ji have contributed a lot to the subject of
yoga and a great amount of material is available. The contribution
of present age acharyas, like Acharya Mahapragna and Dr. Shiv Muni
has been remarkable. Many new books have been published in this
subject in recent years which are propagating the knowledge of
yoga in our country and aboard. This book by Shri Rupendra Muni
would however be an useful addition, especially for the beginners
and for readers wanting to have a quick glance.
It is suggested that the author may think of enlarging and
re-writing the first chapter of the book on Pranayam, a subject
which forms the back bone of Yoga Practice in order to make the
different steps and techniques more explanatory, systematic and
useful for the learners. On the whole the efforts put in by the
young muni are to be warmly appreciated.
CHATURMAS
OF SAINTS AND SADHWI (Continued from previous
issues)
Shwetambar Murti-Pujak sect
1. Acharya Shri Jay Ghosh Surishwar Ji maharaj at matunga, Mumbai.
2. Pandit Poojya Acharya-Devesh Vijay Shri Hem Chandra Ji maharaj
alongwith Panyas Pravar Shri Jai Tilak Vijay Ji, Shri Kalyan Bodhi
Ji and 19 other saints and 15 sadhwigan are holding their
chaturmas at Pawapuri Dist. Sirohi (Raj.) A large number of
devotees are arriving Pawapuri every day to have darshan of the
holy saints.
3. Muni Shri Hitruchi Vijay Ji maharaj at Vadgaon (Gujarat)
4. Pandit Poojya Panyas Pravar Shgri Kalpendra Vijay Ji and Muni
shri Kalp Bodhi Vijay Ji maharaj at Shri Shiteel Nath swami jain
temple, Kandivali (West), Mumbai.
Shwetambar Sthanakwasi sect
1. Acharya Shri Dr. Shiv Muni Ji maharaj, Shri Sahaj Muni ji
maharaj and others at Ambala City (Haryana)
2. Acharya Shri Ram Lal Ji maharaj at Raipur (Chhatisgarh)
3. Gyangachhadhipati Shri Prakash Chand Ji maharaj at Ahmedabad.
4. Acharya Shri Shubh Chandra Ji Maharaj at Jodhpur (Mahamandir)
5. Acharya Shri Sudarshan Lal Ji maharaj at Vijay Nagar (Raj.)
6. Acharya Shri Mahapragya Ji at Udaipur
7. Muni Shri Ramnik Muni Ji maharaj and others at Tohana Mandi (Haryana)
8. Up-Pravartak Shri Prem Chand Ji maharaj at Rodi (Haryana)
9. Shri Sumati Muni Ji maharaj at Rania (Haryana)
10. Upadhyay Shri Jitendra Muni Ji maharaj at Banud (Punjab)
11. Shri Ratan MUni Ji maharaj and Shri Amar Muni Ji maharaj at
Ludhiana
12. Shri Tarak Rishi Ji maharaj at Chandigarh.
13. Shri Dinesh Muni Ji maharaj at Ropar (Punjab)
14. Dr. Suvrat Muni Ji mahaarj at Maud Mandi, Bhatinda (Punjab)
15. Shri Jinesh Muni Ji maharaj at Nabha (Punjab)
16. Shri Sushil Muni Ji maharaj at Mannsa (Punjab)
17. Shri Anupam Muni Ji maharaj at Bhatinda (Punjab)
18. Shri Ajay Muni Ji maharaj at Patiala (Punjab)
19. Upadhya Shri Ramesh Muni Ji, Up-Pravartak Shri Rajendra Muni
Ji maharaj at Veer nagar, Delhi.
20. Up-Pravartak Sri Paras Muni Ji maharaj at Lakshmi Nagar, Delhi
21. Shri Upendra Muni Ji maharaj at Uttam Nagar, Delhi
22. Upadyay Shri Mool Chand Ji maharaj at Doongla (Raj.)
23. Upadhyay Shri Ravindra Muni Ji Maharaj at Udaipur (Raj.)
24. Pravartak Shri Ramesh Muni Ji maharaj at Majal (Raj.)
25. Up-Pravartak Shri Naresh Muni Ji maharaj at Samdari (Raj.)
26. Shri Vridhi ji maharaj at Indore (M.P.)
27. Up-Pravartak Shri Sudarshan Muni maharaj at Ratlam (M.P.)
28. Shri Veerendra muni ji maharaj at Shriramapuram, Bangalore
29. Shri Kanti Muni Jimaharaj at Madurantkam, Chennai
30. Shri Rajesh Muni Ji maharaj at Dehradoon (Uttaranchal)
31. Pravartak Shri Ganesh Muni ji maharaj at Surat (Gujarat)
32. Shri Satish Muni ji maharaj at Nalagarh (H.P.)
33. Shri Kranti muni ji maharaj at Dabhota (H.P.)
34. Shri Kamlesh Muni ji maharaj at Calcutta
35. Up-pravartak Shri Arun Muni ji maharaj at Bokaro (Jharkhand)
36. Pravartak Shri Kundan Rishi Ji maharaj and Shri Sundar Lal Ji
maharaj at Ahmadnagar (Maharashtra)
37. Pravartak Shri Ratan Muni ji maharaj at Vani (Maharashtra)
38. Upadhyay Shri Pravin Rishi Ji maharaj at Chinchwad (Pune)
39. Shri Suresh Muni Ji maharaj at New Vashi,
Mumbai
(Remaining saints in next issue)
Digambar Sect
1. Acharya Shri Guptnandi Ji maharaj at Raja Devalgaon (Chikalthana)
Maharashtra.
2. Acharya Shri Vivek Sagar Ji maharaj at Itawa (U.P.)
3. Acharya Shri Sanmati Sagar Ji maharaj, Ganacharya Shri Virag
sagar Ji maharaj, Acharya Shri Nishchaya Sagar Ji maharaj, Upadhya
Shri Shashank Sagar Ji maharaj with other Muni and Kshullaks at
Kanjvan-Udgaon, Tehsil: Sirol, Dist. Kolhapur. Contact: Ajit
Kasliwal, Mob. 094225-13025
4. Acharya Shri Dharm Bhushan Ji alongwith Muni Shri Bharat
Bhushan Ji maharaj at Ghaziabad.
5. Acharya Shri Gundhar nand Ji Maharaj with his sangha at
Borivali Jain Mandir, Acharya Shanti sagar Smarak Trust, Borivali,
Mumbai.
6. Acharya shri Pushpdant Sagar JI maharaj at Digamabar Jain
Pushpgiri Teerth, Indore-Bhopal Highway, Sonkachh, Dist Dewas (M.P.)
Contact: Ph. 094253-06501
7. Acharya hri Sudharma Sagar Ji maharaj at Nagalya (Bilwa), Tonk
Road.
8. Acharya Shri Vishad Sagar Ji maharaj and Muni Shri Vishal Sagar
Ji maharaj at Ajmer
9. Acharya Shri Nirbhay sagar ji maharaj ar Sikar (Raj.)
10. Acharya Shri Chetya sagar Ji and Upadhyay Shri Urjayant sagar
Ji maharaj at Shri Mahavir Ji Atishay Kshetra.
11. Acharya Shri Padamnandi ji maharaj at Ichhalkaranji.
11. Upadhyay Shri Samta sagar Ji maharaj at Lakhana Sanganer (Jaipur)
12. Muni Shri Anekant Sagar Ji alongwith Elak Shri Achintya Sagar
Ji at Ranchi
13. Muni Shri Punya Sagar Ji maharaj at Kanpur.
14. Muni Shri Shreyans Sagar Ji maharaj at Bhankrota (Jaipur)
15. Muni Shri Prakarsh Sagar Ji maharaj at Lucknow.
DIKSHA CEREMONY
Mumukshu Km. Visha Mutha daughter
of Shri Shanti Lal Ji Mutha of Jalore (Raj.) accepted Jain diksha
in the presence of Shrimad Vijay Hemendra Surishwar Ji maharaj on
the 20th June, 2007. She was inspired by Sadhwi Shri Maniprabha
Shri Ji maharaj. The diksha ceremonies and celebrations were held
on four days, 17th to 20th June.
COMMENTS FROM READERS
MODI
GOVERNMENT TAKES U-TURN ON GUJARAT ANTI-CONVERSION BILL
This is how Hindutvawadi Governmemt is trying to take away the
religious freedom of Jains. Please read and Protest. Jains can use a
political block vote to protect our religious freedom. Making
Jains Hindu sub-cast. The next step would be to install Hindu idols in Jain
temples. Facing a jolt after the Gujarat Governor N. K.
Sharma rejected the Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, the Narendra Modi government has decided to revive an old law passed
by the state assembly four years ago. The law was, however, never
implemented. The original Act passed in March 2003 and aimed at
curbing religious conversions was cleared by the then governor S.
S. Bhandari. "We only need to frame the rules for the original
enactment. The process will take just eight to ten days," home
minister Amit Shah said.
The government did not implement the 2003 Act, which had the
Governor's approval, for several years because of legal opinion
that it would not stand judicial scrutiny. Governor Sharma found
particularly objectionable the classification of Jains and
Buddhists with Hindus. Blaming "foreign powers" for religious
conversions, an official statement underlined the government's
commitment to curb such activities through the law. The law
requires a person wishing to embrace another religion to seek
permission of the government before doing so.
Ahead of the assembly polls later this year, Modi was keen to push
ahead with this law in any shape, in order to re-establish his
Hindutva credentials. The Narendra Modi Government has decided to
reactivate the dormant anti-conversion law enacted by the Assembly
in 2003. The Gujarat Cabinet has decided to "stop all religious
conversions done through inducements or threat in larger national
interest". A statement issued by Ministers I K Jadeja and Saurabh
Patel, the government spokespersons, stated that the
administration was of the view that without affecting freedom of
religion as enshrined in the Constitution, it was necessary to
stop all religious conversions through inducements or threats in
larger national interest.
"The Modi Government believes that the state has been specifically
targeted by some foreign powers for religious conversions, as
they convert the innocent and the poor people using inducements and
threats. Strong nationalistic political will is needed to counter
such forces, but
unfortunately the opposition Congress does not believe in
preserving national identity. The Cabinet lauds the decision to
bring in the original anti-conversion law of this Government,
terming it in national and societal interest," the statement
added. "The issues raised by the Governor would be studied
exhaustively, and the Government would determine its next step in
due time following constitutional guidance from experts," the note
stated. Jains in Gujarat should fight for their Independent
existence. All Tirthankara's fought against Vedic animal
sacrifice [which goes on still in Kali temple] and now Modi
government wants
to put Jains into Hindu sub-cast. Yet he can't define what Hinduism
is. This is insulting to all Jains in Gujrat. Please click on the
link below to go to the page. If you think someone you know would
like to read it too, do mail it to him. Courtesy : Mr.
Shan Parisa.
JAIN
JAGRUTI CENTRE, MUMBAI
Three years ago, stewardesses on a flight from London to
Washington were stumped by the demands of a group of elderly
vegetarian men. They had demanded food that was not on the flight
menu. When the seniors
did not achieve their goal, they found consolation in the snacks
packed by the foresight of their women, and in the fact that they
got this foreign trip on a reasonable discount arranged by a
curious community service.
These senior citizens were members
of the Jain Jagruti Centre (JJC) in Vile Parle, Mumbai, and they
were on one of their annual international tours. The centre, which
began in Vile Parle, now has 115 branches all over India tending
to 58,000 members. It was formed by advocate C. S. Gosalia in 1975.
He was disturbed by the fact that when he used to attend the
functions of the Rotary or the Lions clubs in 5-star hotels, he
had to bear the sights of people drinking and, "one man holding
another man's wife by her
waist". So he wanted to found a club that could match Rotary or
the Lions but still be rooted in 'Indian values'.
Gosalia also wanted to unify the
various factions of the Jains. He saw that the young girls in the
community were growing old searching for a groom within their
sub-sect. Also, there were many budding artists in need of a loan.
Similarly, there were Jains all over the country who wanted many
things but did not know whom to ask. So he started the Jain
Jagruti Centre with the intention of uniting the Jains and giving
them the best financial
deals possible through the power of collective bargaining. The
group negotiates with cinemas and theatres for ticket discounts,
with travel agents for best air and hotel fares, with banks for
good loan deals, with marriage halls for generous concessions and,
of course, with God for general good times.
The centre has more than 35
branches in Mumbai and these branches try to outdo each other. "If
we get a better hall, we show off. It's a healthy competition,"
says Deepak Gandhi, the secretary of the Vile Parle group, which
has more than 1,100 members. The Vile Parle branch has an
arrangement with two local theatres and a multiplex to host free
shows for its members once in two months. The members also bag
free tickets to Gujarati plays.
Besides religious festivals,
members bond mainly during the domestic and international tours.
Travel agencies themselves approach various committee members with
attractive wholesale offers. The
members get nearly 50 percent off
on holiday tours. A common festivity among the Jain groups is at
the reception of hotels, where the compare the rack rates and
overtly rejoice at the discounts they have got. The group travel
also ensures that nobody in the community, especially the old,
feel lonely or left behind. When JJC members travel inside India,
they take a Maharaj along to survive places like Goa and Kerala.
The JJC takes care of love too but with parental discretion. With
different sects of the Jains united by the club, young girls are
now marrying at the 'right age'. They don't have to wait endlessly
for a rare groom with the right ancestry anymore. The JJC conducts
introductory sessions during which prospective grooms and brides
are called out by numbers and a middle-class version of speed
dating unfolds.
Then mass weddings ensue with the
club having taken care of everything from dowry to other expenses. JJC is never short of funds, and even has a charitable trust
that helps out the poor with food grains and student loans. It has
almost become a social protocol among the Jains now to ask for the
JJC branch they belong to. "It is a matter of social status to be
a member of the JJC," says Deepak Gandhi.
Another pleasant outcome of the JJC,
says Gosalia, is that women are more empowered due to increased
interaction among themselves. They now make their own voting
decisions. Though they still are chiefly housewives who like to
discuss saas-bahu serials, jewellery and soaring vegetable prices
when they gather for the JJC meets, "they no longer vote for a
party just because their husband asked them to," says Gosalia.
The services provided by Jain Jagruti Centre
includes, Free cinema tickets,
Free play tickets,
Organise subsidized international and domestic tours.
Provide hall to organise social and religious functions,
Mass weddings,
Loans for higher education.
Distribute food grains to the poor and during emergencies.
JJC welcomes new members and the conditions are, you have to be a Jain,
in case of couples, at least one has to be Jain.
To join, contact the Vile Parle centre on 022-26134731 between 11
pm and 12 pm,
fluency in Gujarati helps.
Courtesy : Rajendra Jain., E-Mail :
raj@rediffmail.com
SOME RARE
PHOTOGRAPHS OF INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE SENT BY MR. VIJAY JAIN
please click here to see....
DEVLOK GAMAN
Gurudev Shri Chandan muni ji maharaj (Punjabi) left for his
heavenly abode on the 31st July, 2007 at Ludhiana. He had been
indisposed due to old age for quite some time but was suddenly
taken ill seriously from which he could not recover. Shri Chandan
Muni ji was very popular owing to his literary taste. He also used
to write religious poems and bhajans, due to which he had earned
the title of 'kavi-ratn.
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MOST PROMINENT JAIN SAMAJ
LEADERS
A scheme was announced by Ahimsa Foundation through this newsletter, Ahimsa
Times to honour prominent Jain Samaj Leaders in different fields, namely,
industrialists, businessmen, professionals, authors, religious leaders/
activitists, scholars and institutions. Though the scheme is being regularly
publicized every month in Ahimsa Times, very few nominations have been received
so far. It is now to announce that the last date for the receipt of nominations
has been fixed as 30th September, 2007. Those still wishing to send their
nominations may do so well before this last date.
|
2007 PROMINENT JAIN SAMAJ
LEADERS
Ahimsa Foundation is instituting a process to annually honour the prominent
members of Jain Community. The outstanding achievers will be categorized under
the following themes.
A. Most Prominent Jain Industrialists
B. Most Prominent Jain Businessmen
C.
Most Prominent Jain Professionals
D. Most
Prominent Jain Authors
E. Most Prominent Jain
Religious Leaders / Activists
F. Most Prominent
Jain Scholars
G. Most Prominent Jain
Institutions
To avoid any
kind of controversy or biasness in the process of identification and
nomination, the Trust will follow democratic approach. The individual
responses (entries) will be examined and tabulated by independent panel of
judges and the results will be made public through Ahimsa Times and web
portal www.jainsamaj.org. This is
first ever attempt to identify and honor the commendable personalities of
the community at global level.
We request
our readers and all the other members of the society to actively
participate in this project irrespective of the fact where they are
located. The Foundation will also appreciate if the readers can circulate
/ forward information about this project to other community members,
friends, relatives and also encourage them to submit their responses. Your
valued cooperation and support will definitely help in best judgements.
The
information may please be submitted in the form given below or sent by
post. However, if the format is not suitable readers may submit
additional information by email at ahimsa@jainsamaj.org
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WE HEARTILY WELCOME FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS WHO HAVE JOINED |
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WWW.JAINSAMAJ.ORG DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST, 2007 |
1. Pawan
Kumar Gulgulia,Swetambar,Bikaner,Rajasthan,Others
2.
Swapnil Barmecha,Swetambar,Indore,Madhya Pradesh.Student
3.
Vishal Shah,Swetambar,Mumbai,Maharashtra,Engineer
4.
Bhavin Javeri,Swetambar,Mumbai,Maharashtra,Business
5. Paras
Mal Kothari,Swetambar,Wani,Maharashtra,Business
6.
Manjeet Kumar Parakh,Swetambar,Kolkata,West Bengal,Business
7. Akash
Jain,Digambar,Meerut,Uttar Pradesh,Engineer
8.
Sanjay Kumar Benara,Digambar,Kishangarh,Rajasthan,Industrialist
9. Raj
Kumar Jain,Digambar,Deoli,Rajasthan,Consultancy
10.
Vipul Jain,Swetambar,Faridabad,Haryana,Consultancy
11.
Kamal Chand Bhandari,Swetambar,Amravati,Maharashtra,Business
12.
Sursh Kothari,Swetambar,Chennai,Tamilnadu,Media
13.
Jitendra Kothari,Swetambar,Yavatmal,Maharastra,Business
14.
Vinaykumar Jain,Swetambar,Ahmedabad,Gujarat,Others
15. Ajit
Kumar Runwal,Swetambar,Yavatmal,Maharashtra,Business
16.
Suman Jain,Swetambar,Rajahmundry,Andhra Pradesh,Others
17.
Jayesh Phulphagar,Swetambar,Pune,Maharashtra,Business
18.
Rajandra Kumar Kothari,Swetambar,Kishangarh,Rajasthan,Business
19.
Anand Kumar Jain,Digambar,Merseyside,Uk,Medical
20.
Rajesh Gadekar,Digambar,Paratwad,Maharashtra,Medical
21. V.
Bhimraj Jain,Swetambar,Vasai (W),Maharashtra,Management
22.
Rajul Shah,Swetambar,Ahmedabad,Gujarat,Consultancy
23.
Vikrant Nanavati,Swetambar,Alto Parana,Other,Business
24.
Manoj Kumar Jain,Swetambar,Fatehpuri,Delhi,Business
25.
Sanjay Jain,Digambar,Surat,Gujarat,Engineer
26.
Adarsh Jain,Swetambar,Nashik,Maharashtra,Academics
27.
Umesh Sanghvi,Swetambar,Mumbai,Maharashtra,Consultancy |
28.
Vaibhav Jain,Digambar,Ghaziabad,Uttar Pradesh,Management
29.
Mukesh Jain,Swetambar,New York,Usa,I.T
30.
Jainendra Kumar Jain,Digambar,Bhagalpur,Bihar,Student
31.
Prasoon Jain,Digambar,Jaipur,Rajasthan,I.T
32.
Surya Jain,Swetambar,Secunderabad,Andhra Pradesh,Business
33.
Hemant Jain,Swetambar,Kolkata,West Bengal,Service
34.
Bhoopendra Kumar Jain,Digambar,Agra,Uttar Pradesh,Arts
35.
Nilesh Nb Kothari,Swetambar,Salamgarh,Rajashtan,Finance
36.
Santosh Jain,Swetambar,Indore,Madhya Pradesh,Media
37. S.
Prakashjain, Swetambar,Secunderabad,Andhra Pradesh,Business
38.
Parag Gahankari,Digambar,Karanja,Maharashtra,Business
39.
Hanuman Mall Gulgulia,Swetambar,Deshnok,Rajasthan,Business
40.
Subodh Kumar Jain,Digambar,Raipur,Chandigarh,Business
41.
Shanti Chand Bhandari,Swetambar,Chennai,Tamil Nadu,Business
42.
Sunil Mehta,Swetambar,Indore,Madhya Pradesh,Engineer
43.
Pankaj Jain,Swetambar,Ontario,Canada,Business
44. Raj
Jain,Swetambar,Baraut,Uttar Pradesh,Academics
45.
Rajendra Sisodiya,Swetambar,Ratlam,Madhya Pradesh,Business
46.
Sapna Sankhlecha,Swetambar,Bhilwara,Rajasthan,Business
47.
Harshvardhan Nahata,Swetambar,Savitri Nagar,Delhi,Finance
48. Anil
Jain,Swetambar,Charoda Bhilai,Chhattisgarh,Business
49.
Padam Kumar Patni,Digambar,Mayapuri,Delhi,Service
50.
Ashish Kumar Jain,Digambar,Janakpuri,Delhi,Government
51.
Manoj Kumar Ghiya,Swetambar,Pune,Maharashtra,Business
52. Anu
Jain,Swetambar,Rana Pratap Bagh,Delhi,Business
53.
Pankaj Chhalani,Swetambar,Bikaner,Rajasthan,Student
54.
Sandeep Kumar Pugalia,Swetambar,Bikaner,Rajasthan,Business |
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BRIDES
1. Neha
M.Jain,24,Swetamber,Kota,Rajasthan,Engineering
2. Saiyam
Choraria,25,Swetamber,Ahmedabad,Gujarat,Business
3. Monika
Bafana,25,Swetamber,New Mumbai,Maharashtra,Others
4. Kavita
Surana,24,Swetamber,Florida,Usa,Others
5. Priya
Jain,23,Digamber,Dehradun,Uttarakhand,Engineer
6. Sushismita
Jain,24,Digamber,Guna,Madhya Pradesh,Computer
7. Honey
Jain,23,Swetamber,Patiala,Punjab,Engineering
8.Mitu
Surana,26,Swetamber,Secunderabad,Andhra Pradesh,Service
9.Priya
Karmakar,26,Digamber,Ahmedabad,Gujarat,Service
10 Ankita
Jain,25,Swetamber,Mumbai,Maharashtra,Engineering
11 Swati
Murdia,23,Swetamber,Bikaner,Rajasthan,Others
GROOMS
1. Utkarsh
Jain,27,Swetamber,Ujjain,Madhya Pradesh,Business
2. Agnish
Jain,27,Swetamber,Indore,Madhya Pradesh,Engineering
3. Madanlal Arvind
Kumar,31,Digamber,Gummidipoondi Taluk,Tamil Nadu,Business
4. Ashish
Jain,29,Digamber,Rourkela,Orissa,Service
5. Hardik
Shah,24,Swetamber,Johanneshburg,Southafrica,Others
6. Siddharth Kumar
Jain,32,Swetamber,Raipur,Chattisgarh,Business
7. Mahaveer
Jain,27,Swetamber,Rohini,Delhi,Business
8.
D.Chhajed,30,Swetamber,German Town,Usa,Computer
9. Sourabh Kumar
Oswal,27,Swetamber,Bhopal,Madhya Pradesh,Computer
10.Bhupesh Gopilal
Pamecha,26,Swetamber,Nathwara,Rajasthan,Service
11. Chetan
Chandrakantbhai Vora,29,Swetamber,Solapur,Maharashtra,Business
12.Vikas Kumar
Singhal,38,Digamber,Navi Mumbai,Maharashtra,Others
13. Pradeep Kumar
Jain,27,Digamber,Gwalior,Madhya Pradesh,Computer
14. Asish
Jain,26,Digamber,Pune,Maharashtra,Engineering
15. Pankaj
Jain,31,Swetamber,Amravati,Maharashtra,Business
16. Hasmukh Mangilal
Jain,27,Swetamber,Mumbai,Maharasthra,Others
1. Kalakriti
Vapi,Gujarat,Books/Stationary
2.
Alok Wool Co.,Panipat,Haryana,Textiles
3.
Finnlife Financial Advisory Pvt Ltd,Mumbai,Maharashtra,Finance
4.
Hingarh Pharmaceuticals,Vijayawada,Andhra Pradesh,Medical
5.
Bay Pearls,Mumbai,Maharashtra,Jewellary
6.
Mitzvah Engg Inc.,Ghaziabad,Uttar Pradesh,Exporters/Importers
7.
Jay Ambe Enterprises,Ratlam,Madhya Pradesh,Exporters/Importers
8.
Vardhman Agency,Chennai,Tamil Nadu,Trading
9.
Lodha & Sons,Jodhpur,Rajasthan,Textiles
10. Abc It Solutions
Pvt. Ltd,Chennai,Tamil Nadu,Computers
11. C.Mahendra Exports
(Thailand) Co.,Ltd,Bangkok,Thailand,Jewellary
12. S.P
Chemicals,Secunderabad,Andhra Pradesh,Chemicals
13. Chandan Optical
Industries,Ahmedabad,Gujarat,Medical
14. Midas Touch
Products (India),New Delhi,Delhi,Exporters/Importers
15. Subhash Chhajed &
Co.,Mumbai,Maharashtra,Chartered Accountants
16. Aastha
Associates,New Delhi,Delhi,Real Estate
17. Jain
Images,Mumbai,Maharashtra,Video/Films
18. Jain
Arts,Mandsaur,Madhya Pradesh,Services
19. M/S Pirdhan
Routhmall & Co.,Silchar,Assam,Food
20.
Chinnas Residency,Bangalore,Karnataka,Hotels
21.
Popular Jewellers,Delhi,Delhi,Jewellary |
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REQUEST TO READERS
If you find any inconsistencies or
errors in Ahimsa Times, please do inform so that we can affect
corrections. - Editor.
- Ahimsa Foundation -
Delhi Office : 21, Skipper House , 9, Pusa Road , New Delhi -
5 , India
Phones : +91-11-2875-4013, 4506-4228, 98-100-46108 , E-Mail :
ahimsa@jainsamaj.org
Jodhpur Office : 44, Sardar Club Scheme, Air Force Area,
Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Phone : +91-291-243-8082, E-Mail :
ahimsatimes@jainsamaj.org
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