Jain Faith Thrives In Chicago Despite Cultural Clash

Jains Thrive In Chicago Despite Cultural Clash
Indian performers participate in a procession on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, a religious festival celebrated by Jains to commemorate the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira, in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April, 24, 2013. Mahavira, is the last of twenty-four Teerthankaras (Jain Prophets) and has been acclaimed as one of the supreme teachers and a social reformer. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)
Indian performers participate in a procession on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, a religious festival celebrated by Jains to commemorate the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira, in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, April, 24, 2013. Mahavira, is the last of twenty-four Teerthankaras (Jain Prophets) and has been acclaimed as one of the supreme teachers and a social reformer. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

When Hemali Shah was a girl, sometimes it was hard to be a Jain. She wanted to run in the grass with other kids, but had to worry about accidentally stepping on an insect, and killing it.

Jainism is a tiny Indian religious sect in Chicago. Jains believe in nonviolence, to the point of not harming any sentient being, through action or even thought.

“I was an athlete, so I played softball a lot, and obviously if you're playing in the grass, there’s lot of bugs, so I ended up playing in the infield,” Shah said.

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