A summary of his tour report is given here. Photos from this exhaustive tour will b e uploaded in coming days.

Please feel free to make comments or observation on the tour.

Summary Report on Educational Trip to Singapore, Perth and Malaysia

February to April 2010

Harshad N Sanghrajka left for Mumbai on 27^th January and having spent a fortnight in India, took off for Singapore on 12^th February, 2010 to attend the Pratishtha Mahotsava there:

Details of the Mahotsava elsewhere on this site please click here to see it

In one sentence, the event was planned and executed perfectly.

On 17^th February, Harshad left for Perth and delivered a 10 session discussion on Atmasiddhi Shastra to members of the Jain Community of Western Australia.  The course in English was attended mostly by youngsters who could not understand Gujarati well.  The senior members of the community who could converse in Gujarati chose to hold morning sessions at members’ homes.  At the end of the trip, they resolved to form a Jain Seniors Group which would meet on the last Tuesday of each month to discuss selected topics on Jainism.

Malacca was next on the list and discussions were held on a variety of religious topics, in Gujarati in the mornings and English in the evenings from 1^st March to 4^th March.  Malacca was in the throes of a new election of the Gujarati Vanik Sangh of Melaka.

Departure from Melaka brought Harshad and Urmila to Penang.  Two days of discussions in the hall of Gujarati Seva Samaj in the evenings brought over 40 people from a small community.  The reappearance of the majority on the second day proved the popularity of the discussions.

Shri Ashvin Nagbadharia, President of the Samaj was kind enough to drive us from Penang to Ipoh where we had the good fortune to see the Jain temple of Parshvanath Bhagvan.  Shri Bharat Jasani and Tarulataben were perfect hosts and invited the public to a discourse on 10^th March.  Again, a good response of over 40 in a very small Gujarati community in Ipoh which lasted over 2 hours.

At this point it was time to trace our steps back to Singapore, the Lion city.  Atmasiddhi course had been well organised and raring to go.  Gujarati sessions were planned for afternoons with 60+ and English in the after dinner sessions with 50+.  Over 100 certificates were issued to participants.

The last stop on the educational side was Kuala Lumpur.  The 10 days were planned over the Ayambil period and afforded additional time for discussions with the ladies who were present from early morning till late afternoon.  Formally the course was run in Gujarati in the early morning session and English in the after dinner sessions.  A special evening was reserved for youngsters only to address their personal concerns related to Jainism on 1^st April.  Many interesting aspects of everyday life were discussed and explained logically to the satisfaction of all present.  A summary explanation of Paryushan, Pratikraman and rituals generally was delivered using power point slides.

Departure from KL on 2^nd April, with a night stop in Singapore as guests of Shri Bharat and Kirtida Mekani brought back the pleasant memories of the pratishtha and course activities in Singapore.  We said a final farewell to all the EC Members at the Sangh Sthanak on 3^rd, spent a couple of nights in Mumbai and arrived in Dubai on 5^th.  Four days of pleasant sightseeing in Dubai and back to London on 9^th April to the comforts of home-sweet-home.

Grateful thanks to all organisations and individuals who made our trip pleasant and comfortable.

SAN FRANCISCO, has become the first US City to declare a “VEG DAY.” Henceforth Monday will be a veg day across the City.

It was a good milestone for vegetarian activist Dixie Mahy,  President of the San Francisco Vegetarian Society, to see her efforts come to fruition in a BOARD RESOLUTION on Tuesday, April 6,  2010

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a  Resolution declaring Mondays as “Vegetarian Day” to urge all San  Francisco restaurants, grocery stores, and schools to offer a  variety of plant based options to improve the health of San  Francisco residents.

Ghent in Belgium was the first city in the Western world to declare one day in a week as a Veg Day.

Mahy hopes that other cities will be encouraged to use the  Resolution as a template to get their cities to adopt a similar Resolution.

Dixie Mahy and Hope Bohanec, Campaigns Director from In Defense of  Animals, worked on the Resolution with Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, a  vegetarian of 35 years.  They are now working on strategy to inform  the various restaurants, grocery stores, and schools on how to  implement VEG DAY.

The San Francisco Vegetarian Society will be  offering recipes, menu suggestions, and even
some special classes on  vegan cooking.  At this time SFVS has a Discount Program that  includes various MIXED Restaurants that offer a variety of vegan  options.  With this Resolution, Mahy now hopes to expand the Program with a special list recognizing various participants with as an  extra advertising incentive.

Those interested in helping with the project should contact Dixie Mahy
<dixiemahy@gmail.com>

Following is the full text of the RESOLUTION passed by the The San Francisco Board of Supervisors:

Resolution declaring Mondays as “Vegetarian Day” to urge all restaurants, grocery stores, and schools to offer a variety of plant based options to improve the health of San Francisco residents.

WHEREAS, The Plant based diet is truly a Green Diet that reduces the serious ecological problems involved in livestock production; and WHEREAS, The 2009 report from World Bank environmental advisers, Goodland and Anhang, called “Livestock and Climate Change”, reveals that farmed animals and their byproducts are responsible for at least 32.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 51 percent of annual worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Goodland and Anhang concluded that replacing animal products with
soy-based and other alternatives would be the best strategy for reversing climate change; and

WHEREAS, The findings from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report prompted Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to recommend that individuals reduce their personal carbon impact by decreasing their meat consumption; and WHEREAS, Plant-based diets are good preventive medicine and could help reduce medical costs to individuals and the health care system; and

WHEREAS, In July 2009, Ghent, Belgium recognized the relationship between

diet and climate change by establishing a VegDay each week of the year; and

WHEREAS, In April 2009, the City of Takoma Park, Maryland, adopted a Mayoral
Proclamation designating April 24-30 “Takoma Park Veg Week,” to encourage citizens to choose vegetarian foods as a way to protect the planet, their health, and animals; and

WHEREAS, In February 2009, as part of the Green Cincinnati Plan, the City’s Food Task Force recommended that residents replace some of the meat in their diet with fresh fruits and vegetables; and

WHEREAS, The American Dietetic Association recognizes that reduced meat consumption decreases the risk of various health problems, stating, “Scientific data suggests positive relationships between a vegetarian diet and reduced risk for several chronic degenerative diseases and conditions, including obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and some types of cancer”; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors designates Mondays as “Veg Day” to encourage restaurants, grocery stores, and schools to offer a greater variety of plant based options to improve the health of San Francisco residents and visitors, and to increase the awareness of the impact a GREEN DIET would be on our planet.

Report Courtesy Mr Nitin Mehta MBE    Young Indian Vegetarian Society UK

On February 13^th, Chinese New Year’s eve, Singapore Jain Religious Society formally opened their new premises. The Guest of Honour for the opening ceremony was Singapore’s Senior Minister,  Mr Goh Chok Tong from the Prime Minister’s Office, responsible for  co-ordinating  the activities of Ministries and the general policies of the Government and to provide overall policy direction. This high level representation demonstrates the high regard in which the Jains are held by the Government. The ceremony was reported on the prime time tv news on the New Year’s eve and it also made the front page of a Sunday paper with coloured photo.

The address by the Minister further demonstrates the high regard in which the Jains are held in Singapore along with the other religions in this multi racial multi religious society.“

I am delighted to join you today for the opening ceremony of the Singapore Jain Religious Society’s newly renovated premises. I was told that among us today are many distinguished Jain scholars and religious leaders from other countries. Let me extend to all of you a very warm welcome to Singapore.

The Jain Community

2        The Jain community in Singapore is a small one, with only about 1,500 members. But big or small, it has an equal place along with the other communities in Singapore. Historically, the Jain community has been a significant contributor to social and cultural development. In India, Jains head numerous schools, colleges and hospitals, and are one of the most literate communities. Jain scholars were pioneer contributors to Kannada, Tamil and Hindi-language literature. The works of Jain writers Adikavi Pampa, Sri Ponna and Ranna, are collectively called the “three gems of Kannada literature”.

3        The first Jains arrived in Singapore about a century ago. In Singapore, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Taoists form the majority of our population. However, despite being a small community, the Singapore Jains have made their presence felt in tangible ways. They have frequently shown compassion to those in need, extending their charity to local community projects and international causes, including contributing to the SARS Courage Fund in 2003 and helping to rebuild a devastated village in southern India after the 2004 tsunami. The Jain society regularly hosts food fairs for the boys from Ramakrishna Mission Boys Home, and its youths have been active volunteers with the Jamiyah Children’s Home since 2005. Later this morning, we will also witness the adoption of the Sunlove Neighbourhood Link @ Kaki Bukit, a care centre for the elderly, by the Jain Religious Society.

4        The Jains are not alone in this respect. I am heartened to note that in Singapore, many ethnic and religious groups, including Buddhists, Taoists, Muslims, Hindus and Christians, readily support secular, community projects. Such support is a key strength of our multicultural society.

Forging a Multi-racial, Multi-religious Society

5        Our success in forging a multi-racial and multi-religious society has sometimes resulted in Singaporeans, especially younger Singaporeans, taking the harmony we enjoy for granted. No one is surprised when they hear of families of different races and religions living happily together in HDB flats. To cite an example from my constituency, in Blk 33 of Marine Crescent, on the 13th floor, you have Muslims, Catholics and Buddhists living side-by-side. In the same block, on the 3rd floor, there are Hindu, Taoist and Christian families happily sharing a common corridor. Last December, I attended a Year-end Christmas Party organised by an RC (Residents’ Committee) in Marine Parade. The RC Chairman is a Christian; the Vice-Chairman a Buddhist and the Treasurer a Muslim. The resident who dressed up as Santa Claus is a Hindu grandfather! Working together, they drew out many residents of different races and religions for the party. We sang Christmas carols together, thoroughly enjoying ourselves. It was not a very silent night, even though we sang Silent Night.

6        Singaporeans are not at all surprised by such phenomena, because we have accepted multiculturalism as a way of life. We are also a practical people. In land-short Singapore, we often find places of worship in close proximity to one another. For example, the Jain Religious Society is on the same street as, and in fact sandwiched in between, the Tsan Tan Lim Temple and Azizah Chishty Quranic Centre. However, foreign visitors and new immigrants have often expressed amazement at what Singapore has achieved. When I visited Oman two weeks ago, Omani Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Fahad told me that when he visited Singapore, he was very impressed by our success in building a harmonious multi-racial and multi-religious society.

7        Not long ago, I met an Italian resident at my reception for new Singapore citizens in Marine Parade. He had given up his Italian citizenship to settle in Singapore. When I asked him why, he said that he had worked in Germany and the US and while he loved Italy – a beautiful country with rich history and culture – he decided to make Singapore his home because of the freedom here. Seeing my raised eyebrows, he explained that in Singapore, he could walk in the park or on the streets at 3 am and feel safe. No one would consider it strange. In Singapore, he could be himself. He said, “You can be a Hindu, a Muslim or a Christian. You can choose to wear traditional Indian or Arab clothes. No one would stare at you or criticise you. You can dress in whatever you want and be who you want to be. This is the kind of freedom that is difficult to find in many European countries today”. He told me that when he decided to give up his Italian citizenship and become a Singaporean, he was initially worried that his parents in Italy might be upset. However, when he told his parents, they not only did not object, but also said that it was a “good choice”.

8        Our Constitution guarantees the freedom of religion. Singaporeans are free to profess any faith, and to practise and promote their religions. However, this must be done responsibly. We must respect not only the common spaces that other Singaporeans live, work and play in, but also their separate space, and must not run down or trivialise their beliefs. This is a key principle underpinning the peace and social cohesion that we have here. This is why the Ministry of Home Affairs had to act firmly in response to the insensitive comments by a pastor from Lighthouse Evangelism recently. I am glad that the matter has been resolved. Of course, in the future, there may still be the occasional misunderstanding between people of different races and religions. When it occurs, we must act quickly, exercise tolerance, respect any different viewpoints as being part and parcel of our multicultural social fabric and try to resolve the misunderstanding sincerely.

9        The government and the people have worked hard to maintain our social harmony. Singaporeans have grown up with diversity in their midst, in their schools, while doing National Service, in their housing estates and workplaces. But we can each do more to enhance our mutual understanding of one another. I believe that in reaching out to one another, we will find more commonalities than differences. I am therefore glad to see that there are quite a few Chinese among us today. This is Chinese New Year’s eve – the most important day for the Chinese as they gather for their annual family reunion dinners. Your presence here is testimony of your willingness to learn about other cultures.

Conclusion

10      To conclude, the social cohesion and harmony that we enjoy did not come about by chance, and must not be taken for granted. We must treasure it and continue to build on it by exercising mutual tolerance, acceptance and understanding. I congratulate the Singapore Jain Religious Society on the opening of its new premises, and also wish all Singaporeans a happy Chinese New Year.

“

Mr Goh Chok Tong Performing the Opening Ceremony

Eventually, the three coordinators from KL, Singapore and Perth worked out a time table which would allow the course to be delivered in all three cities in one tour lasting five weeks. Our Trustee and Hon. Secretary, Dr Harshad N Sanghrajka worked with the three coordinators and finalised the program. In all three centres seven day courses were arranged with a special two day course in Malacca. Two sessions were delivered each day, in Gujarati during the day and in English in the evenings.In all cases, extensive use of time was made on Saturdays and Sundays.

Additionally a One Day workshop was run in KL and Perth with selected new topics.  

The grand success of the tour is easily summarised in the feedback received from Western Australia and  Singapore.  KL Sangha was also overwhelmed but is in the process of sending their feed back: 

Mr Rakesh Shah, President of Western Australia Jain Sangha Inc wrote: 

“Your clarity of thought, depth and lucid presentations with clear notes, and the veryprofessional standards, including the use of technology, precise timing and comprehensive broad coverage of all topics has taken the Jain Community in WA by a storm. We have never seen such a powerful commitment and regularity of attendance here, and it is clear that you gave what the public wanted. We are all proud to be Jains, but you showed us why and also brought back the missing link between us and our culture. For your information we had over 150 people everyday for a continuous ten days listening to you for 2 hours daily. In addition most of the people were present for the full day on Sunday too. For Perth this is a record.” 

Mr Mayur Ghelani, President, Singapore Jain Religious Society wrote: 

“We had been apprehensive during the planning phase of staging the courses as to the number of participants that would commit to attending an intensive 20hrs course across 7 days! However, we were most pleasantly surprised with the overwhelming interest & desire to learn; and the numbers attending speak for the excellent “engagement” of participants, garnering their commitment for the same.   

Unanimously, ALL who attended found the sessions & overall course highly informative. They also acknowledged the extensive efforts in the preparation of the content & materials; as well as the knowledge and ability of the Instructor to keep them coming back for more ! “

 The Hon. Secretary deserves commendation of all the Trustees for having excelled in carrying out this highly successful mission on behalf of the Institute and above all promoting the true understanding of Jain philosophy in the far flung corners of the world.  

PHOTO GALLERY

English session in Singapore

Some young participants in Malacca

Listen to me! Some hot discussions during the break in Singapore

Dr & Mrs Sanghrajka with ladies group in Malacca 

A breakout session in the WorkShop at Kuala Lumpur
Evening class in Perth with over 150 participants

Hi Tech Equipment in Use in Perth

A young participant in Kuala Lumpur presenting a memnto to Dr Sanghrajka