May 30, 2007
Source: Hindustan Times
Over three thousand devotees as well as Jain and Hindu monks took part in the '24 Tirthankaras and Sarasvati Puja' on Long Island in New York.
The puja was organised to promote unity of religions, non-violence and wisdom, said Naveen C Shah, the organizer and sponsor of the event.
Sarasvati, common to both Hinduism and Jainism, is the goddess of education and wisdom. Tirthankaras, Jainism believes, were enlightened beings. The last in the lineage was Lord Mahavir, a contemporary of the Buddha.
During the over two-hour ceremony, all participants recited mantras (in Sanskrit and translated in Hindi and English) and performed the rituals under the direction of Prof UR Daga, a scholar of Jainism and Indology from Jodhpur.