The deepest legacy of Pujya Tai Ma lives quietly within people - in the courage she awakened, the love she gave, and the feeling she left behind. Across generations and across the world, countless lives were transformed simply through being in her presence.
For many years, Veerayatan has brought together young people from Kenya, Dubai, the United Kingdom, and the United States to spend two weeks volunteering at its centres in India. More than simply a volunteering programme, it is an opportunity to experience Tai Ma's vision first-hand and discover the transformative power of selfless service.
Glimpses of the volunteering programme:
These are some of the reflections of youths who have participated in the Volunteering Programme:
‘As we were driving to Bodhgaya, amidst the beautiful surroundings, we passed through these small villages just made from mud. I saw a grandfather and a little boy together and I thought to myself that this little child’s life will be no different from the life of his grandfather. And this is when I really understood the vision of Acharya Shriji in changing this vicious cycle! Until now I had heard about the great work of Acharya Shriji but today her work has impacted me…’
By Rumit Mehta
I was fortunate enough to meet Tai Ma during the 2019 Veerayatan volunteering trip to the Bihar campus, in the summer before I started university. It was my second visit to India, returning after almost a decade. For anyone unfamiliar with it, India can be an overwhelming place - the sights, the sounds, the aromas, and the constant bustle of everyday life. Yet, a few hours from Patna lay the Veerayatan campus in Rajgir, Bihar, where I met Tai Ma. Within its walls was an atmosphere of peace, tranquillity, and quiet reflection - qualities that I also experienced in Tai Ma herself.
I attended many of her morning talks, where she had a remarkable ability to express profound truths with grace and simplicity. Even the most difficult questions seemed effortless in her hands. Her thoughtful responses encouraged us to see the world from a different perspective while, at the same time, inspiring us to look more deeply within ourselves. She connected naturally with people of every age and background, creating a genuine sense of community throughout my two-week stay.
That feeling of belonging to a wider Jain community stayed with me long after I returned to London. Tai Ma is one of the main reasons I have remained closely engaged with Jainism throughout my twenties - whether through my university's Jain Society, helping to establish an organisation that connects Jain students, or simply through the way I strive to conduct myself in my professional life. It is her practical teachings on how to live with compassion, awareness, and purpose in everyday life that continue to have the greatest impact on me.
By Jinal Shah
