Like Jain Sanghs world over, Kaula Lumpur Jain Sangh had also planned their Paryushan Parva activities through their umbrella organisation, Gujarati Association.
Mr Sanjay Shah along with three musicians had arrived from Mumbai for the bhavna. Along with that he also held discourses on good living and good values. He had also got the children interested and they were actively participating in many activities.
In one of his discourses, he narrated an unusual experience during his visit to Osaka. There is only a small but active Jain community in Osaka. They had appealed to a fish seller in their neighbourhood not to sell fish on Samvatsari day as a mark of respect for life and avoid harm to a small number of fish on that day. The fishmonger gladly obliged.
This inspired the Management Committee of Gujarat Samaj in Kaula Lumpur to do likewise. There are four non vegetarian restaurants facing the Jain Mandir which were approached with a request not to serve meat on Samvatsari day. Beyond all their expectations, three of the four restaurants remained closed on the day and the fourth one served only vegetarian food. In a truly Jain fashion, the three restaurants that remained closed were compensated for loss of business. Community members duly donated generous amounts to fund the compensation and the Sangh was left with a healthy surplus.
Emboldened and encouraged by the restaurant owners’ acceptance of the request, the Samaj went one step further and asked all their members to request at least two of their non-vegetarian friends not to eat meat on the auspicious day. Most members wrote to at least five of their friends and were overwhelmed by the response from their friends.
Nothing is impossible – one has to have faith and the confidence to make the necessary efforts to achieve the desired result. Well done Gujarat Samaj of KL. Let us hope that Jain communities worldwide would be inspired in the same manner as your Committee was.
The Gujarat Samaj is not sitting on its laurels – it now plans to request the Malaysian Government to declare Samvatsari day to be a meatless day. Further they want the Jain communities worldwide to come together and get a United Nations endorsement on Samvatsari day to be a Meatless Day.
The clarion call has been made for Jains worldwide to start working on this noble suggestion.
Gujarati Association Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia
Email address: info@gujaratikl.com.my Website : www.gujaratikl.com.my
EXCO: President : Datuk Bhupatrai Shah +60193117390 Vice Presidents : Bhashkar P Chitalia +60122104395 Mahendra P Malani +60122199577
Secretary : Dipak V Damani +60123938858 Treasurer : Vijay R Sheth +60178899665