JAIN MAHASABHA BIKANER - BREAKING THE

SHACKLES OF DARKNESS

by :
Dr. T.K. Jain
Founder Promotor
AFTERSCHOOOL
Centre for Social Entrepreneurship
Sivakamu Veterinary Hospital Road
Bikaner 334001
www.afterschool.tk, afterschool@in.com, Mobile : 9414430763

This case study is for the PGPSE participants to analyse and think about social issues and find solutions
to the social problems. This documents is not for general public but for the PGPSE participants of
AFTERSCHOOOL Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. Online PGPSE is a free programme for those who
wish to become social change agents, social transformers, social entrepreneurs and catalysts.

Mr. Loonkaran Chhajer is known as a journalist, but more important, he must be known for his efforts to
bring about initiatives for transformation of Jains in Bikaner. He is bold, audacious, social and visionary
person. He tried to unite the Jain society of Bikaner (being a very fragmented society) and put them to the
core of Jain values - the values of simple living, ahimsa, truth, and devotation to Lord Mahavir. Due to his
efforts, Jain Mahasabha has been doing a pioneering work. His friends Mr. Jatan lal Dugar, and Mr.
Hansraj Dugar are also contributing substantially. Fortunately, there are dynamic persns as leaders in
Jain Community of Bikaner like Mr. Vijay Kumar Kochar and Mr. Champal Mal Surana.

Due to the pioneering efforts of Jain Mahasabha, many important decisions have been taken up. I shall
quote here only one decision : 1. The decision to boycott the functions where more than 21 items are
being served in marriage / other functions.

Ideally Jain persons should not waste or show off their money and should keep the money with them only
as trustees of the society. They should also be very careful in offering food. They should ensure that there
is no wastage of food. They must show these things in their personal conduct. However, there are always
some social problems to fight with. The Jain community is facing this problem. It is facing the problem of
show off of money. Many businessmen want to show off their money and this puts a pressure on others
also to spend a lot of money. Everyone understands that this is a bad practice. Yet, there are a few
persons who are willing to raise their voice.

A typical Jain family spends about Rs. 20 Lakhs in marriage in the following format :

1. on Food : Between Rs. 4 to Rs. 12 Lakhs

2. on Decoration : Between Rs. 1 to Rs. 5 lakhs
3. on stage programmes (like professional singers etc.) : Rs. 1 to Rs. 10 lakhs (programmes like Sangeet
Sandhya are also being organised by professionals these days = making these programmes useless in
their content and spirit and destroying the traditional culture of joint living and jointly celebrating).
4. on gifts / dowry / etc. between Rs. 2 to Rs. 20 lakhs
5. on hiring of marriage place and hotel charges : Rs. 2 to Rs. 10 lakhs (no body organises these
functions in his home, but organises these functions in marriage halls, which is against the basic spirit of
Indian culture as these programmes should be organised at home itself )

(it is a paradox that they spend Rs. 20 lakhs for a 3 day function, but are reluctant in spending
money on technical education, which builds competencies in their children).

Most of this expenditure is a wastage. A person spends his entire life and saves some money, which he
finds inadequate for this kind of marriage function. He borrows money in order to conduct this marriage
function. Jain Saints have repeatedly asked the Jain persons to avoid this kind of pomp and show, but
nobody listens to these. Thus there are problems. It is the Jain Mahasabha which has taken the lead and
has taken steps to reform and to bring about development in the Jain society. Due to the efforts of Jain
Mahasabha, now there is a rule that every family should not spend too much money on food. They should
have limited items in reception or other functions. The maximum limit is 21 items (ideally it should be
less). Having more number of items creates wastage of food.

On the one hand people in India are suffering from poverty and hunger and on the ohter hand we are
wasting money on food and wasting the precious food, which is not advisable. Thus there is a need to
create awareness and raise public voice against such extra-vaganga of money.

There are thousands of persons in Jain community itself who are not even able to meet their basic needs
- like food, education, health care etc. These persons are not able to provide proper education to their
children due to financial difficulties. There are also massive problems like unemployment (which is
becoming a monster in India now). Most persons are doing small work like trading, managing a small
kirana store or other such activities. Some of the persons are working as Munims (on very very low
salaries and almost 12 hour work schedule). These persons are facing hardships and find it difficult to
manage their home. In such circumstances, there is a need to promote simple living. There is an
expectation that organisations like Jain Mahasabha should put a moral pressure on the community to not
to waste money on marriage functions or other such occasions and to put these norms binding on the
entire society.