The Gujerati Jain community in Antwerp is grappling with increasingly difficult business conditions as the diamond trading industry undergoes significant changes. This contingent community has longstanding ties to the diamond industry. As it stands now though, trust and relationships, the very fabric that once made this partnership so successful, are being put to the test.
At the center of this quirky community sits the Shankheshwar Parshvanath Jain Temple, the only Jain temple in continental Europe. This temple’s austere white exterior helps distinguish it. For the local Jain community, it serves as a powerful cultural and spiritual focal point. Gujuarati traders established the temple to demonstrate their abiding devotion to the diamond trade. It is an expression of their beautiful cultural history.
Ashwin Jhaveri, a trustee of the Shankheshwar Parshvanath Jain Temple, state’s diamond capital Surat, on why trust is essential in the diamond business. He further maintains that it’s personal relationships that have always powered the business deals in this marketplace. Now, recent market volatility and current economic strain have upended those established norms. The Gujerati Jain community finds itself at a crossroads, facing competition from other trading hubs and shifts in consumer preferences.
In fact, the temple’s construction was largely funded by the trading of black market diamond profits. This deepened the intertwining of faith and the community’s economic pursuits. As outside forces shake up the market, those in the Gujerati Jain community are worrying for their livelihood. Today, they’re finding innovative approaches to respond to shifting needs without losing their cultural roots.
Even with these struggles, Jhaveri is hopeful about the new community’s determination. He’s confident that by doubling down on their bedrock values of trust and integrity, they can weather the stormy seas of today. The community is doing everything it can to be creative, find new ways to stand out and prosper in an ever-competitive global marketplace.