- Friday, December 27, 2024
The Institute of Jainology and the Jain All-Party Parliamentary Group played key roles in organising the event that saw Jain leaders and people from other faiths, parliamentarians and academics gathering.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE Institute of Jainology (IOJ) and the Jain All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on April 24 celebrated the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir, the 24th and last Tirthankara (enlightened teacher), at the House of Commons.
The occasion is commonly referred to as Mahavir Janma Kalyanak.
This year, the event was particularly significant since it marked the 2,550th anniversary of Lord Mahavir attaining Nirvana.
The celebration at the Palace of Westminster saw a gathering of Jain leaders, dignitaries from the parliament and people from various faiths and the academic world.
The event commenced with Jain prayers led by Paarul Shah.
Welcoming the guests, Dr Mehool H Sanghrajka MBE, the managing trustee of the IOJ, emphasised the milestone anniversary and its importance to the Jain community.
Harrow East MP Bob Blackman, who is the deputy chair of the Jain APPG, presented on the occasion the annual OneJAIN awards, a decade-old initiative of IOJ which honours individuals for their significant contributions to the Jain community.
This year’s awardees included Sonal Mehta, recognised with the Excellence in the Community Award for her dedicated community service in Manchester, and Suraj Bafna, who received the Young Persons Award for his impacful work on health initiatives within the Jain community.
Chandrakant Shah received a high commendation for his extensive community involvement.
A special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Nemu Chandaria OBE for his pivotal role in raising the profile of Jainism in the UK and his three decades of passionate service, earning him a standing ovation.
A special message from Baroness Scott of Bybrook, minister of faith, was read on the occasion, reflecting the legacy of Lord Mahavir and her appreciation of the IOJ’s work in supporting Jain communities.
The evening also included an announcement by Samir Juthani, who is currently analysing the 2021 UK Census data to better advocate for the Jain community’s needs in regions with significant Jain populations.
Sonali Shah, a celebrity known for her role in the TV series “Pilgrimage” and as a presenter on “Escape to the Country,” spoke about her spiritual journey within Jainism, highlighting how her understanding and acceptance of Jain values have deepened over time.
The highlight of the evening was the announcement and symbolic restitution of the Jain manuscripts held by the Wellcome Collection, represented by Dr Adrian Plau, to the IOJ. Wellcome has confirmed their intention to restitute their entire 2,000 plus Jain manuscripts to the IOJ.
The gesture was described as an effort to “right a historical wrong”, with Katherine Knowles discussing the care and preservation needs of the manuscripts. With Dr Plau, she went on to present a symbolic manuscript to Chandaria OBE and Jaysukh Mehta — both IOJ directors.
The IOJ also announced a long-term loan of the manuscripts to the University of Birmingham, thereby enhancing its role as a premier Jain research institution outside of India.
University representatives, led by Professor Charlotte Hempel, provided insights into their ongoing research and innovative educational programmes designed to engage the community with the Jain manuscripts. They also assured the audience of their commitment to preserving and promoting the valuable cultural artifacts.
The evening concluded with remarks from the mayor of Harrow, Ramji Chauhan, who spoke passionately about respect, unity, and diversity as foundational to fostering peace and harmony.
Niraj Sutaria of the Mahavir Foundation also announced an upcoming OneJAIN large-scale celebration of the 2,550th anniversary of Mahavir’s Nirvana, expected to attract around 2,000 participants, demonstrating the vibrant legacy of Lord Mahavir and the unity of the Jain community.
