________________
Importance of the Jain Granth Bhandars.
| 205
had been collected only due to this system. Thus we can say that the Grantha Bhandars gave much help in the spread of education and at one time they remained the pillars of education.
MATERIAL FOR ART AND PAINTING
The Grantha Bhandārs of Rajasthan are equally important for illustrated manuscripts. The Jaina monks and Srāvakas both took great interest in beautifying the manuscripts. They were the lovers of art and painting. These illustrated manuscripts are useful for a study of the History of India miniature and paintings. There are three kinds of illustrated manuscripts namely those of palm leaves, paper and cloth. Besides these three main kinds, there are also wooden plates which have some coloured paintings. Illustrated palm leaf manuscripts are found only in Jaisalmer Bhandārs while the other kind of illustrated manuscripts are found in several Bhandārs and mainly in the Bhandārs of Jaipur, Mozmábad, Ajmer, Nāgaur, Bharatpur, Baswa and Bündi. Though there is not a big number of the illustrated manuscripts yet the material which is found in these Bhandārs of Rajasthan are sufficient to establish the importance of the Bhandārs regarding paintings and miniature.
PALM LEAF MANUSCRIPTS
In preservation of early paintings on palm leaves, the Jaisalmer Bhandar is the foremost one. Though this Grantha Bhandar was established in the 16th century the collection of the illustrated manuscripts throws light on the art of painting from the 12th to the 16th century. There are 35 illustrations in all and the 2 illustrations which are related to Assembly Hall of Jinadutta Süni clearly shows that the old system of paintings of Elora gradually developed further There are good many illustrations on the mixture of Budhistic and Jaina paintings. The illustrations on the life of Lord Neminātha reveal that the painters of the 12th century were not limited to the paintings of the portraits only but they were expert also in making other paintings. The most wonderful painting which has been found on the palm leaves relates to the illustration of Lotus Creeper. The date ot this painting must be about 12th century. The system of this Patrika is just like the painting in Bharat and Bahubali Cand, but there is some special art in the ornaments. In one of the paintings, two ladies are shown enjoying boating'.
1. Jaina Mainature of Western India.
