Source: The East Valley Tribune
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/132824
Jains say their religion had no beginning and it has no end. They say it has existed since existence itself began. But temporal existence has a milestone starting today for the Jain community in Arizona.
For seven days through Friday, Jains, well-known for their nonviolence, tenacious protection of life and belief in the power of karma, will celebrate the dedication of their grand and ornate temple nearing completion on a four-acre site in south Phoenix.
Placed inside the striking building of polished white marble will be the figures of carved gods from India - 51-inch high Lord Mahavir Swami and Lord Adinath. The two seated gods of Makarana marble will peer out from niches into the spacious assembly hall for prayer. Behind them and at their sides are 24 niches into which will be placed 15-inch-high statues of tirthankars ("ford-makers," or role-model teachers who have conquered such things as pride and deceit). They will be put into place on Thursday.
Jains will descend on the site at 6202 S. 23rd Ave. in colorful and eye-catching attire for symbol-rich ceremonies and a festival to initiate a permanent home for the approximately 125 families who developed a Jain community about 25 years ago. About half of the families live in the East Valley.
The opening of the temple is cause for Jains worldwide to take note of and to celebrate. The U.S. has 58 Jain centers, with the largest concentration of followers in the Middle Atlantic states, plus Chicago and Houston. There are about 6.5 million Jains worldwide, the vast majority of them in India.