Jain temple to be built in Australia at a cost of $18 million with marble shipped from Rajasthan

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

A Jain temple being constructed in Melbourne, Australia with marble shipped from Rajasthan will represent the culmination of two decades of hard work when it is completed. According to a report in ABC News, the temple project is being spearheaded by the Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh, a small group that wants Victoria to get its first Jain temple by next year.
'It was our wish and will that we build this community centre and temple with our own money,' Nitin Doshi, president of Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh (MSJS). 'We have not approached anybody for financial help.'
The cost of constructing a temple in Australia with marble shipped from Rajasthan is not insignificant. According to Doshi, the temple project could cost anywhere between $15 to $18 million.
Over the last decade, families associated with MSJS have raised $12 million to fund the construction. "We raised $3 million from 200 families," Mr Doshi said.
This $3 million was used to purchase land for the temple and accompanying community centre. The group then raised another $5.8 million through donations and fundraising events. They still need a few millions more to complete the construction and are hoping to raise the money through community support and more fundraising.
The Jain community in Melbourne is a small one - made up of about 750 people, most of them first-generation immigrants from India.
"Many Jains came here as students, got their [permanent resident visa], and decided to make Melbourne their home,' Doshi explained.
For such a small community, raising money for a temple is a hefty financial commitment, but Doshi says, 'However small we are, our vision is not small. Our dream is not small.'
The Jain temple is being constructed using 1,500 tonnes of marble shipped from Makrana in Rajasthan.
The shipping of marble is no mean task. Each of the 5,000 marble pieces that will be used in the temple have been crafted and assembled in Rajasthan. This has been done to ensure they fit perfectly.
After being assembled, the pieces are disassembled, numbered and sent to Melbourne.
"Once we knew it worked, we brought it here and put it back together like a jigsaw puzzle," said Shwetal Shah, structural consultant.
Shah also explained to ABC News that no steel can be used in the construction as it goes against Jain religious teachings. Instead, glass fibre is being used to reinforce a concrete frame.
The community hopes to complete fundraising and construction by next year.