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ગુજરાતી સાહિત્ય પરિષદ
at its northern end was occupied by several distinguished guests and the members of the state deputation headed by Dr. B. BHATTACHARYA, Director of the Oriental Institute, Baroda. Another raised platform to the west was occupied by a large number of Jain Sadhus who spend their life-time in the study of their religious literature and in the practice of penances for their souls' uplift.
After the Chairman of the Reception Committee had read his address and requested the Honourable Mr. Munshi to open the building the latter before doing so made a speech in which he expressed his pleasure at being asked to perform the opening ceremony of the temple of knowledge which was to house the rich collection of nearly 15000 Mss. which, though preserved religiously for several centuries by the devout Jains, stood in need of a central scienti. fically-constructed building in which they could be kept without fear of further damage by clamp, white-ants etc. and expressed a hope that instead of jealously guarding that precious national treasure in their possession or simply keeping it as a museum, they would be liberal enough to throw it open to all scholars irrespective of caste or creed, allow copies of any of the Mss, to be taken and give sufficient facilities to any scholars who found it necessary to stay at Patan for some time and pursue their study for the benefit of the enlightened public. After he formally declared it open, Sheth HEMCHAND MOHANLAL announced
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