News India Times
July 17, 2015
8
– that’s all you need to know
Community
By Ela Dutt
ushar Patel, 22, was on a
religious fast and
extremely hungry at his
desk at work. A co-
worker asked him why
he observed it and the Indian-
American launched into the pre-
cepts of his religion. It helped
overcome his hunger pangs and
reawakened his pride in the
Hindu sect he was born into in
Secaucus, New Jersey. The
Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan
Gadi Sansthan, which his par-
ents and grandparents followed,
is named after a region in
Gujarat, and led by the fourth
generation spiritual heir of the
founder of this sect, Sahajanand
Swami, (1781-1830), who estab-
lished it in the late 18th and
early 19th century.
Close to 2,000 followers
attended the first inaugural con-
vention of the Maninagar sect,
traveling from the dozen or so
North American chapters to the
Jain Society of Metropolitan
Chicago Community Center in
Streamwood, Illinois July 1to 4.
Tushar, a Masters in chemical
biology and aspiring physician,
was just one of hundreds of
youth there.
“It was the greatest week of
my life,” says Devika Patel, 24,
another of the 200 volunteers
nationwide who helped organize
the convention. A chemical
engineer with a Fortune 500
company in Philadelphia, PA,
Devika Patel like Tushar Patel,
was brought up immersed in the
religion and has lived by its
teachings.The two main goals of
the convention were to celebrate
the 45 years of work put into
expanding the reach of the sect
in the United States and bring-
ing the various chapters to meet
and network. The sect was start-
ed in the U.S. in 1970 following a
visit from India of Swami
Jeevanpran Shree Muktajeevan
Swamibapa. Now it has 12 chap-
ters, Devika Patel says and the
highlight was meeting and mak-
ing lifelong friends from far and
wide. According to its website,
the sect has five principal tem-
ples, five Hari mandirs and
thousands of disciples around
North America.
The turnout was high for a
July 4 weekend and the last day
was dedicated to paying tribute
to “the great country we call
home.” That day, the men all
wore white kurtas and pajamas
and the women wore different
color saris denoting their differ-
ent chapters. Acharya
Swamishree, as the founder is
popularly called, led interactive
sessions with youth of different
ages to ensure a one-on-one
with each. “The convention took
place in the presence of our spir-
itual leader and guru, His Divine
Holiness Acharya Shree
Purushottampriyadasji Swamiji
Maharaj, along with a Sant
Mandal of 21 eminent sants,”
Hersh Patel said. The theme was
“Unity” and subjects covered
not only religion but health,
financial management and
career/education workshops, as
well. There were special sessions
on issues relating to women and
men.
“The main content of the
entire convention was based on
making the foundations of our
religion relatable in the modern
world,” Hersh Patel said. Cricket
and volleyball tournaments,
team building activities, and cul-
tural programs, all designed
according to the religious princi-
ples, were part of the package.
T
Religious Group Teaches Rituals, Life Skills At Chicago Convention
Nearly 2,000 followers of the Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan, a Hindu sect, met in Streamwood, Illinois, near
Chicago, to celebrate 45 years of their founding in the U.S. at their first convention July 1-4. The theme of the convention was
“Unity” to signify the 12 mandals in various North American cities, coming together for the first time.
The Federation of Jain Associations
of North America, JAINA for short,
held in 2015 biennial convention in
Atlanta from July 2-5. It was attended
by some 4,000 people from 22
countries as well as 47
Sadhu-Sadhvi, Saman-Samani and
religious preachers, according to a
release from organizers. Acharya Dr.
Lokesh Muni, right, addressed both
the opening and closing session.
The spiritual leader called upon
followers to join together and spread
the founder Bhagwan Mahavir’s
message of non-violence, unity in
diversity and non-possession, to
establish global peace. Others
addressing the convention included
Acharya Roopchand, Acharya
Amrendra Muni, Samni Dr. Suyash
Nidhi, Bhattarak Charukirti and Guru
Chandrasen. President of JAINA
Prem Jain, convener of convention
Shri Damodia, and president of
Atlanta Jain Sangh Samir Bhai Shah
spoke as well. The program was
conducted by Chicago Jain Center
president Atul Shah.
Jains Meet to Spread Message Of Global Peace
