Jain heritage on display

The crowd puller, however, is the 7.5 feet high Asthapad tirthankar weighing three tones and carved out of crystal. The other 108 statues in the three day exhibition are equally precious, as each one is carved out of a particular gemstone like emerald, ruby, aquamarine, amethyst and quartz.

"We expect a crowd of 50,000 people. A lot of people from the community would visit the fair because of the tirthakaras," said Jeetmal Jain, member of JITO.  The annual event, which takes place every year in different cities, aims at strengthen business ties in Jain community and promote networking among businessmen in the community.

He said that most stalls in the trade fair, mostly consumer goods, will showcase multi-dimensional business ventures of Jains. While the fair will have stalls exhibiting consumer items, the real 'crowd puller' Jain believed would be the Jain pavilion section where various statues of tirthankaras are on display.

The priceless statues are owned by JITO, which was the brainchild of one of their spiritual leader Param Pujya Nayapadmasagarji Maharaj. There are about one lakh people from Jain community in the City.