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Featured project · Completed

Jain Temple of Los Angeles-JTLA

California, USA

A jinalaya of Shri Parshwanath Bhagwan in Ambaji marble, carved stone by stone in India and assembled in Los Angeles exactly as the shastra prescribes. Below is the whole journey, from the first sankalp to the pratishtha.

Stone upon stone, from foundation to shikhar

Jain Temple of Los Angeles (JTLA), California, USA: a hand-carved stone jinalaya by Praasad Stone Creation

A jinalaya of Shri Parshwanath Bhagwan, raised in Ambaji marble in the Nagaradi style. Every stone was carved in India, numbered, shipped by container and assembled in Los Angeles exactly as the shastra prescribes, a journey begun in 2014 with the blessings of Bhagwan Shri Parshwanath.

2014

Sankalp, work begun

500 t

Ambaji marble

Aayadi angas checked

Nagaradi

Temple style

Watch the project videoJain Temple of Los Angeles · YouTube

Traditional temple building · from sankalp to pratishthaThe full account, with photographs

1. The first sankalp

This sacred temple (derasar) project was begun in 2014 with the divine blessings of Bhagwan Shri Parshwanath. The word "mandir" means a sacred place, where worship, devotion and meditation take place. From the very beginning, every stage of this project was carried out according to the guidance of the shastra, with deep devotion, unbroken dedication and careful planning.

2. Design and tradition

The temple was designed not merely for visual beauty, but with the shastra tradition and spiritual feeling held foremost. Orientation, proportion and layout were brought into harmony according to the rules of sthapatya shastra and Vaastu.

On the basis of the traditional Indian shilpa shastra, the garbhagruh, mandap, shikhar and kalash were composed, keeping a balance between ancient Indian sculptural art and modern understanding of construction.

Every element of the design (form, height, proportion and the finest carving) was chosen so that the temple would be eternal, steady and full of spiritual energy. That, while preserving tradition, this temple should remain a priceless cultural heritage for the coming generations, that is the very spirit of this design.

3. The journey of construction

In 2014 an auspicious meeting took place with Shri Rajubhai Shah and Shri Lalitbhai Dhami. During this meeting they told us that land had been accepted in L.A. for the sacred purpose of building a derasar in keeping with the Jain shastra tradition, and humbly requested that a suitable plan be prepared for that construction.

Accordingly, to give this divine work its finest form, we deliberated many times, made the necessary corrections and additions, and drew up the plan of the derasar keeping the agama, the shastra rules and the traditional vidhi-vidhan in full respect. Its details are as follows.

ગૃહસ્વામી નું નામ	શ્રી પાર્શ્વનાથ ભગવાન
ભગવંત ક્રમ	૨૨
જન્મ રાશિ	તુલા
જન્મ નક્ષત્ર	વિશાખા
દીશા	દક્ષિણ
ગણ	રાક્ષસગણ

The temple’s twenty-one aayadi angas
1	ક્ષેત્રફળ અને મૂળ રાશિ.	ક્ષેત્રફળ-11881 (મૂળ રાશિ-1)	શુભ
2	નક્ષત્ર.	નક્ષત્ર ક્રમ-8 – પુષ્ય નક્ષત્ર	જે પૂર્વનું હોઈ શુભ
3	નક્ષત્ર ગણ.	દેવગણ	શુભ
4	આય.	ધ્વજાય	શુભ
5	વ્યય.	પ્રથમઃ શાંત	શુભ
6	નક્ષત્રની રાશિ.	કર્ક.	–
7	નક્ષત્રનો સ્વામી ગ્રહ.	ચંદ્ર	–
8	રાશિનાં સ્વામિ – ગ્રહની મિત્રતા.	સૂર્ય – બુધ	શુભ
9	તારા.	ભગવાનનું નક્ષત્ર : વિશાખા · પ્રાસાદનું નક્ષત્ર : પુષ્ય · તારા 3 ફૂરા	શુભ
10	નક્ષત્ર વૈર.	પરસ્પર નક્ષત્ર વૈર નથી	શુભ
11	નાડી.	ભગવાનનાં નક્ષત્રની નાડી : અન્ત્ય · પ્રાસાદનાં નક્ષત્રની નાડી : મધ્ય	નાડી વેધ થતો નથી : શુભ
12	નામાક્ષર.	ધ્રુવાદી 16 ઘરોનાં નામ માંથી ધારણ કરેલ નામ : 4 નંદ	શુભ
13	અંશક.	2 યમાંશક	કનિષ્ઠ
14	લગ્ન.	3 મિથુન	સ્થિરલગ્ન
15	તિથિ.	15 પૂર્ણા, તિથી : પૂનમ	શુભ
16	વાર.	1 – રવિ	અશુભ
17	કરણ.	ચતુષ્પદ	અશુભ
18	યોગ.	13 – વ્યાઘાત	–
19	વર્ગ.	બિલાડી – સિંહ, વર્ગ વૈર નથી.	શુભ
20	તત્ત્વ.	અગ્નિ	–
21	આયુષ્ય.	માટી – કાંકરી 8 વર્ષ · ઈંટ – માટી – ચૂના 80 વર્ષ · પત્થર – ચૂનો 240 વર્ષ · કાંસા – પત્થર – ચૂનો 720 વર્ષ · ધાતુ 2960 વર્ષ	–

The twenty-one angas are, as it were, the birth chart of the praasad. Just as no one’s horoscope has every planet and yoga favourable, the same is to be understood here.

After this sacred plan was ready, the choice of the right stone for the temple was churned over with great faith, discernment and thought. In the end it was resolved, joyfully and unanimously, to adopt the very Ambaji marble, the divine stone used in the Delwada derasars, which stand as the emblem of the finest tradition of dev-shilpa.

To be certain of the purity, strength and longevity of this Ambaji marble, tests were carried out in an accredited laboratory and it was fully verified, so that the building of the temple would be the finest and most auspicious not only visibly, but spiritually as well.

Ambaji marble is known especially for its quality and its appearance, and compared with other marbles it has a number of distinctive properties, such as:

1. Quality and density

Ambaji marble is extremely dense and strong.
Its water absorption is low, so it is less affected by moisture and water.
It is more durable than other marbles and fit to last for a long time.

2. Soft, beautiful colour and brightness

Generally available in white or ivory / light cream shades.
It has a natural bright lustre (gloss) that gives a beautiful sheen in light.
After polishing, the surface looks even more radiant and smooth.

3. Rich texture and natural veining

Its natural veins are very soft and aesthetic.
Compared with other marbles this veining feels more even and light.
This makes it especially attractive for flooring, walling and interior design.

4. Ease of cutting and polishing

The texture of Ambaji marble is so fine that it can be cut and polished with ease.
As it is not as hard or crystallised as other marbles, this work becomes easier.

5. Durability and hot / cold tolerance

It stands up better to heat and cold.
There is less risk of colour change from food, hot vessels or sunlight.

Once all this was settled, we purchased marble blocks in a very large quantity, some 500 tonnes. To make certain of the finest quality of marble for this holy work, the honourable President Shri Rajubhai Shah came to India in person. That moment became a blessed and proud occasion in the whole journey, a memory that will always remain engraved in our hearts.

Selecting Ambaji marble blocks at the quarry — Selection of the raw material (marble) by President Shri Rajubhai Shah with Pradipbhai Sompura, 2015.

These marble blocks were sent from Ambaji to Rajasthan for cutting. There they were cut as required, and most of the main carving work was completed in Rajasthan.

All these finished stones were then brought to our workshop in Ahmedabad, where the fine and detailed carving was done and the whole derasar was given a layer-by-layer trial fitting.

After the fitting process was complete, each stone was numbered in sequence, so that the final fitting on site could be done smoothly, precisely and in order.

Carved marble pieces at the Ahmedabad workshop — Inspection of the carved marble stones by President Shri Rajubhai Shah, 2015.

Checking carved stones in 2022 — Inspection of the carved stones by President Shri Rajubhai Shah, Shri Lalitbhai Dhami and Shri Pradipbhai Sompura, 2022.

Now the entire consignment was ready. Each stone was then weighed, and afterwards packed into wooden boxes.

Loading the first box into the container — The muhurat of loading the first box into the container · Shri Pradipbhai Sompura.

The first container filled with marble — The first container loaded with marble.

The first container being loaded for despatch — The first container being loaded.

4. Challenges and their solutions

Because of permissions, unforeseen circumstances and environmental challenges, this work remained unfinished in our workshop for a long time. During this period some of the finely carved stone pieces were damaged. Even so, the work went on with unshakeable faith, patience and firm resolve. Every damaged part was carved again, corrected and restored with the utmost care, skill and devotion.

Throughout this journey President Shri Rajubhai Shah gave his full attention and heartfelt interest to every matter, small or large, so that the work would move forward with openness, dedication and spiritual purity.

This temple has now been successfully established in Los Angeles, USA. The entire project was completed by the Praasad Stone Creation team of India using sacred Ambaji marble (natural marble), with tradition, faith and the finest craftsmanship. The derasar is built in the Nagaradi style and follows all the principles of Vaastu shastra and shilpa shastra, so that the divine vision and spiritual presence of Bhagwan Parshwanath may be felt in full. Its composition reflects our rich cultural heritage, traditional sculptural art and spiritual values.

The sacred art of temple building has come down unbroken for thousands of years, an invaluable inheritance received from our grandfathers and their fathers. Using that art, the stones of this temple were carved to a design drawn in accordance with the ancient Indian shilpa shastras.

These sacred stones, taking shape by the traditional shilpa vidhi, have been consecrated on American soil to make faith in the Divine and spiritual connection manifest in living form.

Let us know with pride that this "mandir" is not a heap of stones or a carved structure for show. Every single stone of the temple has been set in place according to the shastra rules of Indian shilpa shastra, holding a harmonious accord with nature and with the Divine, which is of very special importance in the Indian shilpa shastras.

A temple composed in accordance with this shastra naturally becomes a source of the highest, purest and most positive energy. By the grace of the Divine, may this temple remain an everlasting remembrance of his firm resolve, unshakeable faith and devoted service.

5. Support and blessings

Honourable President Shri Rajubhai Shah

On this golden occasion of the sacred pratishtha mahotsav, when this temple construction project stands fully complete and the flag of the Divine is about to fly upon its shikhar, it is our good fortune to offer the credit for this long, sadhana-like journey to one great personality, the honourable President Shri Rajubhai Shah.

In ancient times derasars were built by kings; in our own time Shri Rajubhai Shah, with devotion, dedication and inner strength, has built this derasar and written a living history. With firm resolve, giving himself to this sacred work in body, mind and means, he kept the tradition of Indian shilpa shastra, the rules of the shastra and the subtle harmony of temple architecture unbroken, and carried the building of the temple through to its pratishtha. His contribution has been invaluable and unforgettable. Where needed he became a craftsman, a supervisor, an adviser, and on many occasions stood there himself to see this sacred work completed.

For this project we consider it most necessary to make a special mention here of two persons, Mr. Beto and Mr. Carlos.

So that the joining and fitting of every stone of the temple would be kept according to the shastra, these two karmayogis, Mr. Beto and Mr. Carlos, carried out their duty with extreme precision and devotion. Through this whole process the honourable President Shri Rajubhai Shah gave them the proper shastra guidance and remained, as a strong link of the entire coordination, their constant guide and source of inspiration.

The responsible and highly skilled work of joining the stones of the temple in proper accord and fitting them correctly was carried out by these two. This work was extremely challenging for us, but because of their devotion, skill and patience it was completed successfully.

Their contribution to the completion of this temple construction project has been praiseworthy and invaluable. Their work is so memorable and so important that we could never forget it, for the joining of the temple’s stones had to be done keeping the subtle harmony of Indian shilpa shastra, the traditional rules and the scriptural limits in full.

We feel from the heart that at that time the Divine, perhaps hearing the voice of our inner self and seeing the firm resolve of ours and of the honourable President Shri Rajubhai Shah, must have sent these two skilled persons to carry the work up to the kalash.

For this reason we express our heartfelt gratitude to both of them, and remain indebted for their contribution.

Completion and pride

सत्कर्मणा हि सिद्धिः स्यात्, श्रद्धया साधनं भवेत् ।

ईश्वरकृपया कार्य, कृतार्थं सम्पूर्णं भवेत् ॥

Final message: This great yajna of building a devalaya, begun on the foundation of faith, shastra and dedication, has today attained its fulfilment. In this journey from sankalp to pratishtha are contained the trust of the yajman, the guidance of the trustee board, the sadhana of the craftsmen and the unceasing blessing of divine grace.

May this devalaya now become a sacred centre of faith, sadhana and sanskar for society, and inspire the coming generations on the right path, that alone is the true siddhi of this work and our highest pride.

Praasad Stone Creation, Ahmedabad–Gujarat, India

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Pradipbhai H. Sompura Chairman & Managing Director Praasad Stone Creation

Since 1975, Pradipbhai H. Sompura, Chairman & Managing Director of Praasad Stone Creation, has given his life to the sacred art of temple-making, raising shrines in the timeless traditions of Vaastu Shastra and Shilp Shastra.

Guided by these ancient sciences (design, proportion, orientation, measurement, and the sacred geometry of the shilpa texts), every temple is composed so that stone, space and spirit rise in perfect harmony with nature and the divine. It is a discipline of balance and grace, where a structure is elevated into a sanctum, and a sanctum into a seat of the gods.

For the House of Sompura, temple-building has never been mere enterprise. It is a hereditary art, a living legacy, and a sacred trust, borne through generations by the same devoted hands, the same unbroken faith, and the same reverence for the divine.

Gaurang Sompura Chief Executive Officer Praasad Stone Creation

Gaurang Sompura is the Chief Executive Officer of Praasad Stone Creation. He comes from the Sompura family of temple architects, in which the craft of building in stone has passed from one generation to the next, and he is trained in the fine art of sculpture.

He leads the design and the delivery of the firm's temple projects: plans drawn to the rules of Vaastu and Shilp Shastra, the carving of pillars, ceilings, murtis and shikhar in marble and sandstone, and the setting of every numbered stone on site, so that the temple stands entirely in stone, without iron.

From the first drawing to the final kalash, he stays with the trust and the yajman at every stage of the work, guiding the design studio, the workshop and the craftsmen on site.

Bansu Shah Sompura Design & Development Praasad Stone Creation

Bansu Shah Sompura works in design and development at Praasad Stone Creation. Trained in the fine art of sculpture, she prepares the sketches, the drawings and the architectural design from which each temple takes its shape.

She is the wife of Gaurang Sompura, the elder son of Pradipbhai H. Sompura, Chairman and Managing Director of the firm, and so belongs to the same Sompura tradition of temple building that the family has carried for generations.

Her drawings carry the rules of Vaastu and Shilp Shastra into the plan of every temple: proportion, orientation and ornament, from the garbhagriha to the shikhar, together with the carved detail that the artisans then work in stone.

Jaydeep Sompura Civil Engineer, B.E. Praasad Stone Creation

Jaydeep Sompura is a civil engineer (B.E.) with Praasad Stone Creation. He organises and directs the construction of the firm’s temple projects: the material, the equipment and the men at work on site.

His work begins at the foundation: the plan set out full size on the ground, the excavation taken down to sound rock, the plinth raised in stone, and every level and line kept true, so that the carved stone above rests on a base that will hold for centuries.

He keeps the workshop, the transport and the site in step with one another, so that each numbered stone reaches the site in its turn and the work moves on without a pause.

Arpita Dave Sompura Civil Engineer, B.E. Praasad Stone Creation

Arpita Dave Sompura is a civil engineer (B.E.) with Praasad Stone Creation. She prepares the material cost estimates and the shop drawings, and keeps the data of every project in order.

She is the wife of Jaydeep Sompura, and so belongs to the same Sompura family whose craft of temple building has passed from one generation to the next.

Every temple is costed stone by stone: the quantity of marble or sandstone, the carving, the transport and the fitting, so that a trust knows what the work will take before the first stone is cut.

From her shop drawings the workshop cuts and carves each piece to its exact size and number, and her records follow the work from the quarry to the finished shikhar.

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