Gujarati Jain Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Jainism is an ancient Indian faith, and most Jains in Britain have roots in Gujarat. Many Gujarati Jain families came to Britain via Kenya and Uganda in the 1960s and 1970s. They are part of the wider Gujarati community, sharing its language, food and many of its festivals.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 185 residents gave their religion as Jain. Most Jain families in Birmingham have Gujarati roots, although the census does not publish a Birmingham figure for Gujarati Jains.

Working for Birmingham

Gujarati Jains are well represented in pharmacy, medicine, accountancy, business and retail, and the community is known for its honesty in business and its generous support for charities. Jain professionals serve patients and customers across the city.

Birmingham is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in Europe, and its progress has always depended on people who chose to make it home. Its hospitals, schools and universities, its building sites, workshops, warehouses and kitchens all rely on skills brought from around the world. The Gujarati Jain community adds its own share to that effort, and takes pride in giving back to the city that welcomed it.

Culture and community life

Paryushan, a time of fasting, reflection and forgiveness, is the most important Jain festival, and Mahavir Jayanti celebrates the birth of Lord Mahavira. Jains follow a strict vegetarian diet and care deeply for animals and the environment, values that many Brummies admire.

For anyone who wants to learn more, the best introduction is the simplest one: say hello. Birmingham's communities are at their best when they meet, share food and learn from one another, and the Gujarati Jain community is a warm part of that everyday exchange.