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Jalna Grantha Bhandārs w Rajasthan
Besides the illustrated and painted manuscripts there are several manuscripts written in golden and silver ink. Such manuscripts though not available mverywhere, are not very rare and can be seen in Grantha Bhandārs of Jaisalmer. Jaipur, Ajmer, Nágaur, Bharatpur ets. In the Digambara Bhandārs we find the copies of Bhaktamar Stotra and Tattvärtha Sätra mostly while in the Swetāmbar Bhandārs the illnstrated manuscripts of Kalpasūtra. The Kalpasūtra manuscripts, written in golden ink are also in the collection of the Digambar Bhandārs. There are two manuscripts in the Grantha Bhandar of Baswā. Some of them have artistic designs and beautiful borders. The borders in some of the manuscripts in the Sastra Bhindır of Naya Mandır, Jaipur, in which every folio of the manuscript is decorated with colourful borders, are excellent.
Among the newly discovered illustrated manuscript is a Gutkā containing small works written both in Sanskrit and Hindi. It was written in the year 1789 A.D. Originally this Gutakā belonged to the Grantha Bhandār of Ādinātha temple, Būndi but at present it is in the possession of Sri Kesarimal Gangwăl of the same place. There are 72 paintins in the manuscript. All the paintings are influenced by the Moghul Art Men are shown wearing turban with Dupațţă and Dhoti. They are putting on various ornaments like Necklace etc.
The sádhus are shown naked having one wooden pot called Kamandalu in their left hand and Pichi in their right hand The sēdhus other than Jainas are painted in various dresses Some are having beard and Jață on their head.
Animals such as Lion, Bear and Monkey are painted in the same colour as they are found.
There are paintings of various of marriage ceremonies beginning from hethrothal where a Pandit is performing Tilak Ceremony on the forehead of bridegroom. In the marriage mandap, the bridegroom is shown. One man and lady are sitting by their side. In other paintings, the bridegroom is shown taking bride bound with red rope. There was purdāh system during those days.
In the Sastra Bhandār of Pandya Lūnkaranji there are individul pictures painted either on cloth or on paper. Some paintings pertain to the Mantra Šāstra while others are of Gods and Goddesses. Some of them are Jwala Malini, Bhairava, Padmăvati, Padmaprabha, Kalikadevi, Narsinghavatar, Ganesa, Dharnéndra Padmavati etc. These are on paper.
TREASURE HOUSES OF EARLIEST WRITTEN MANUSCRIPTS
The importance of these Grantha Bhandārs are not only that these have thousands of manuscripts, but also on the basis that these Bhandārs are the centres
