JAINS IN AUSTRALIA - Jains in Sydney
Regular programs in Sydney
1. Sri Mandir, last Sunday of every month 3 to 5PM. 286 Cumberland Road, Auburn Ph: 02 9649-3369, dieties : Mahavir and ParshavNath
2. Shiva Mandir, 201 Eagleview Road, Minto Ph: 02 9820-1094 dieties : Simandhar Swami Contact : Chetan Parekh 0423 211 778
3. VITRAAG JAIN MANDAL, rsvp.vitraag@yahoo.com, Paras Shah (M: 0420 978 258 / T: 02 9267 0286) Manoj Doshi (M: 0412 212 626 / T: 02 9264 7778)
History
Jain population in Australia is very small. There are about 20 entries
in the Sydney phone book with JAIN surname. It has been my experience that
for every one person with JAIN name, there are about five other JAINS.
I guess there are about 100 Jain families in Sydney in 1997. There is perhaps
an equal number in Melbourne and perhaps half that number in Brisbane.
Perth, the other Australian city is five hours flight away with nothing
bewteen Melbourne and it. It is like another country to us.
Jains in Sydney got together for the first time in 1991 to celebrate Mahavir Jayanti in Hindu temple in Auburn, the first Hindu temple in Australia. There were about six families who started meeting on the last Sunday of each month. Those six families have grown to about fifty now. 1997 Mahavir Jayanti that was celebrated in Dundas community hall had over 100 people attending it. Click here to see 1998 Mahavir Nirvana Divas celebrations.
For quite some time, last Sunday of each month, Jain families used to meet in somebody's house. Since the inbstallation of Jain diety's in the Sri Mandir, Jains have started meeting there from 3 to 6Pm last Sunday of every month.There are Bhajans, Puja, Navkar Mantra recital by children, Jain teachings for young children and then Aarti. After the aarti, all Jains have a preeti bhoj (dinner). This practise has helped Jain community to sustain its roots and to encourage Jain children to become peace loving role models for other Australians.
Many Jains also visit and hold regular programs in Sri Shiva Mandir in Minto temple to pray to Simandhar Swami.
If you are reading it from outside Australia and are visting Sydney soon, please do drop in and join us. All are welcome.