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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
TO THE LIBRARY.
HE Tanjore Mahārāja Serfoji's SarasvatMahal Library,
which is described by Dr. Burnell "to be perhaps the largest and most important in the world" and which Dr. Bühler says "contains a great many useful and a number of very rare or nearly unique books many of which are quite unknown or procurable only with great trouble and expense" Was till recently the private property of the Rājas of Tanjore.
The earliest beginnings of the Library must have been about the end of the 16th century when Tanjore was ander the rule of Telugu Näyakås who collected Sanskrit Mapuscripts written in Telugu character. In the 17th century the Mahrathas conquered the country and since that date the Library has been increasing. By far the greater portion of the collection wae made by Sørfoji during a visit to Benares during 1820-1830. Sivāji bis successor added a few. There has practically been no addition of any value till very recent times. A good number of Sanskrit Manuscripts including rare and valuable manuscripts representing the collection of generations of a family of scholars, known as the "Jambanitha Bhai Lūpdagai Collection " was added to the Library in 1921.
Regarding the origin and importance of this collection, Dr. Holtsoh bas the following interesting information in “No. III. Reports on Sanskrit Manyacripts in Southeru India", edited by him in 1906 at Madras :
For Private and Personal Use Only
