Jaina Granth Bhandars in Rajasthan

SR No.: 011017
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kasturchand Kasliwal
Publisher: Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra Mandir
Publication Year: 1967
Total Pages: 394
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 13 MB

Page 205

Importance of The Jaina Grantha Bhandars.
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loyal to their Rulers. The Devans and Administrators served the Rulers not only in the time of peace and prosperity but also in the time of war and troubles.
For the history of some ancient cities and towns not only of Rajasthan but also of India, the manuscripts preserved in these bhandars, can supply material because in the most of the prasastis the names of the cities and towns are invariably mentioned and some descriptions supplied
LITERARY CENTRES
The rulers of Rajasthan States took great interest in literature and patronised poets and scholars. Caraṇas and Bhats who were court poets created poetic literature. In the States there were Grantha Bhandārs or Pothikhānās established by these rulers. Such bhanḍārs are of great importance and exist in Jaipur, Alwar, Udaipur & Bikaner etc. The capitals of these States were the literary centres as the prominent scholars used to live in the Darbars of these Rajput rulers. In the ancient time the cities like Campăvati, Toḍāräisingh, Malpura, Cittor, Nagaur, Mertă, Amer, Ranthambhore, Mandalgarh and Kumbhalgarh etc. were main centres.
But apart from these libraries patronised by the rulers, there were several literary centres which were related to Jainas. These literary centres were generally called the Grantha Bhandars where the work for writing of new works and copying out the old ones used to be done by the scholars These Grantha Bhandars or literary centres were under the spritual heads of Jaina Church or Scholars of high calibre. Jaisalmer, Nagaur, Ajmer, Baran, Fatehpur, Amer, Kotah, Ranthambhore, Dungarpur were the centres under the Bhaṭṭārakas or Jatis while the Bhandais of Sanganer, Jaipur, Bundi, Campāvati, Udaipur and Sagwara were under the scholars who were generally requested by the house-holders to compose works for the laity
These Grantha Bhandars remained the centres of literary activities of many scholars. Padmanandi, Harişena (10th Century), Hari Bhadra Süri, Aśādhar (13th century), Bhaṭṭāraka Sakal Kirti (15th century), Bhuwan Kirti (16th century), Subha Candra (16th century), Rajmalla (16th century), Todarmal (18th century), Jaya Candra (19th century) and hundreds of others composed new works sitting in these bhandars. The work of copying out the manuscripts was also continuously done for years together in the bhandārs of Todiraisingh, Mälpura, Jaisalmer, Nagaur, Ajmer, Amer, Campāvati etc. We shall now give a short description of the literary centres which flourished in the past but at present have no grantha bhandārs or have small and insignificant collections.