Jaina Granth Bhandars in Rajasthan

Author(s): Kasturchand Kasliwal
Publisher: Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra Mandir

Page 57

36 )
Jaina Grantha Bhandårs in Rajasthan.
pertains to the founder himself and also the manuscripts donated by others. There is a very good collection of the manuscripts. The total number of the manuscripts is 958. All of them are on plam leaves.
(xiv) JAINA MATHA KĀRAKAL
Kārakal was the capital of the Bhairsa Rulers who were the followers of Jainism. The Matha was established in the year 1504 A.D. hence the Grant Bhandar of this place also was established in that year. Jaina Matha Kārkal is the seat of the Bhajţărakas. They are the owners of the Grantha Bhandar also. All the manuscripts are on palm leaves and their total number is 295.
(xv) ADINĀTHA GRANTHA BHANDĀR ALIYOOR.
Aliyoor is a place in the Kārakal Tehsil and nin: mile: dastant from Mūda Bidri. It was a very good city in the past, but now a days it is no more than a village. There is a Grantha Bhandar in the temple of Adinatha. All the manuscripts of the Bhandar are written on palm leaves. They are the common Granthas which are used in daily reading. Total number of the manuscripts is 125
(xvi) SIDDHANTA BASTI MOD BIDRI
As the owner of the Matha lives in temple hence it is called by the name of Guru Basti. The Grantha Bhandār of this temple is one of the most reputed Bhandārs in India because in this Bhandār the manuscripts of the Dhaval, Jai Dhaval and Mahā Dhaval are in the collection. These manuscripts are rare as they were not available in any of the Bhandārs of India before 30 years. Thousands of persons in every year visit this place and pay their homage to these manuscripts. Due to these manuscripts the name of the collection is called Siddhānta Basti. The three manuscripts are the part of Digambara Jaina Āgama which are only available at present. The temple is also famous for having 32 valuable images of Gold, Silver, Nilam and other kinds of precious stones Due to these shrins the temple is also centre of attraction for common Jaina people. The importance of the Bhandar is also due to the reason that all these manuscripts are on palm leaves and such a huge collection of palm-leaf manuscripts is not available generally at other places. Moreover there are about 124 manuscripts which are rare one and have not been published so far.