20-05-2025
Jain community raises millions to build marble temple in Melbourne
At an eye-catching construction site in Melbourne's south-east, ornately carved marble blocks, like the ones used in the Taj Mahal, are being assembled "like a jigsaw puzzle".
By the end of next year, it's hoped the pieces will come together, and finally make real the Victorian Jain community's long-awaited dream of having their own temple.
Jainism is an ancient Indian religion grounded in non-violence and personal spiritual development.
Nitin Doshi, president of Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh (MSJS), said while Victoria's Jain community was relatively small, over the past decade they had managed to fundraise most of the money needed for the project.
"It was our wish and will that we build this community centre and temple with our own money," he said.
"We have not approached anybody for financial help."
In 2007, a small group of Jain families who gathered for religious activities formed the MSJS.
One of the association's main aims is to create a place of worship for religious and cultural activities.
"We wanted this and future generations to remain in touch with the religion and preach and practice the principles of Jainism over here in Melbourne," Mr Doshi said.
To build Victoria's first Jain temple, Mr Doshi estimated they would need between $15 and $18 million.
For the community of about 750 people, mostly first-generation migrants, the financial commitment is significant.
"Everybody is in the settling stage," Mr Doshi said.
"Many Jains came here as students, got their [permanent resident visa], and decided to make Melbourne their home."
Despite these challenges, the community showed remarkable determination, and raised $12 million for the project over 10 years.
In 2016-17, MSJS visited 275 families to share their plans and seek funding support.
"We raised $3 million from 200 families," Mr Doshi said.
That money was used to purchase the land for the temple and community centre.
A ceremony marking the temple's construction brought in another $3.8 million in donations, while a later event to welcome deity statues from India raised $2 million, according to Mr Doshi.
The community is still a few million short of the budget they need to finish building the temple.
They plan to fundraise the remaining amount through upcoming events and continued community support.
Building a traditional Jain temple in Australia presents unique challenges.
Shwetal Shah, the project's structural consultant and a member of the Jain community, explained that under Jain religious values no steel can be used in the temple.
He had to come up with a way to make sure the construction of the temple complied with Australian building codes and religious guidelines.
Instead of steel, glass fibre has been used to reinforce a concrete frame that supports the temple's marble blocks.
"We designed the structure and proved it was possible that concrete could sustain the load with the glass reinforcement," he said.
The temple is being constructed using 1,500 tonnes of marble shipped from Makrana in Rajasthan, India, the same marble used in the Taj Mahal.
Each of the 5,000 marble pieces that will be used in the temple has been crafted and assembled in Rajasthan to ensure the perfect fit, then numbered before being disassembled for shipping.
"Once we knew it worked, we brought it here and put it back together like a jigsaw puzzle," Mr Shah said.
Beyond financial contributions, the community has shown spiritual commitment to the project through daily fasting.
Since August 2015, one member of Melbourne's Jain community has been fasting every day, Mr Doshi said.
More than 3,500 fasts have occurred and they're set to continue until the temple's completion.
The practice, known as Upvas, follows a rotating schedule that has grown from a small group to about 140 members.
Vikram Jain, an accountant in his 40s, who joined the fasting roster along with his wife and son, explained the project's significance.
Younger community members have also been fasting.
Shanya Shah, a 20-year-old student studying a Bachelor of Health Science, began fasting when she was just 10 years old.
"We believe this collective spiritual energy helps overcome obstacles along the way and allows smooth progression of building our [temple]," she said.
The community hopes to complete the temple by late 2026, concluding a nearly two-decade journey.
For Ms Shah, this historic project is meaningful and humbling.
"It fills me with a deep sense of fulfilment, gratitude and pride, to be part of something," she said.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because this [temple] is being built for the first time on Melbourne soil."
