tradition. A summer ‘academy’ in Carnatic (Southern) music is offered, as
are occasional classes in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Sanskrit.
The “SV Temple” has sponsored elaborate ritual events, some for the first
time in the US. Because it was one of the first and claims to be the most
“authentic” of the South Indian temples to be built it has become a major
pilgrimage center for Indian-Americans on the eastern seaboard. Families
come there for rites of passage (e.g., marriages, ear-borings). Indeed by the
time of its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2001–2002 it had become one of the
two or three most prosperous Hindu temples outside of India. It is viewed
by South Indians throughout North America as the prototypical temple to
be emulated as new temples are built throughout the continent.
In the meanwhile, North Indian Hindus and Jains were collaborating in
building the Hindu-Jain Temple on the property originally purchased in
Monroeville. Upon its completion, Jain tı ̄rthan.karasand a variety of Hindu
deities were enshrined and represented by the kind of white marble icons
favored in North India. The temple sponsors language study and cultural
events for its various clientele – Benga ̄lı ̄s, Guja ̄ratis, etc. The people of this
temple have continued to express their North Indian roots within the
structure. They sponsor such holiday events as Dı ̄vali, and provide Indian
dance entertainment for the city’s annual folk festivals.
The cooperation of the Jains in the construction of this temple is itself of
historic significance. Not only is it one of the few structures in which Hindus
and Jains worship under the same roof (a few Hindu temples in North
America may include a Jain pu ̄ja ̄room, but seldom does one find shared
space). More than that, thanks to the vision of a local Jain physician,
Digambaras and S ́veta ̄mbaras worship in the same building, contrary to
tradition and all known advice back home. It was the Birla family, known
for the building of temples in a number of Indian cities, who helped with
the construction of the building and the provision of icons. In addition
to the ongoing ritual life at the temple, in which lay Jains offer rice and
a ̄ ratito the tı ̄rthan.karas, Jains gather from miles around for two special
occasions during the year. One of these is Maha ̄vı ̄ra Nirva ̄na, the sama ̄dhi
(death) of Maha ̄vı ̄ra, which occurs at the new moon of October–November
(the same new moon which marks Dı ̄vali, and the New Year in Northwest
India). The other is Maha ̄vı ̄ra Jayanthi (the birthday of Maha ̄vı ̄ra) in
March–April. Traditionally, the former celebration is of special interest to
Digambara Jains, and the latter to S ́veta ̄mbara Jains; but here all Jains
commemorate both events.
By 1984 the Sikhs had built their own gurdwa ̄ra ̄. The construction was
done entirely with “local help” by copying pictures of favored gurdwa ̄ra ̄s
in India. The structure serves some 75–100 families in southwestern
Pennsylvania who are proud of their Sikh identity, careful to distinguish
240 India’s Global Reach