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speech on them in this congress, an almost unbelievable feat. Prof. Alsdorf described this event during his visit to India on 25th centenary celebrations of Lord Mahavira.
We should not forget to respect Muni Punyavijayji who did a scholarly examination of Jaisalmer Bhandar manuscripts. Acharays Shri Tulsi ji, Mahapragya ji, Misrimalji, Amolak Rishij and many others did full justice to the manuscripts while editing Jain Agams. It was really a difficult task for Jain Acharyas to read the contents written on the palm leaves as there was the influence of the shape of the leaves upon the texts. We should also remember to Rai Bahadur Dhanpat Singhji of Murshidabad who was a pioneer in publishing the Jain canonical texts in 1880's.
8. Jain Manuscripts
(i) Palm Leaf Period The earliest illustrated JAIN manuscripts of Swetamber sect are on palm-leaf and contain two texts, Ogha-niryukti and Dasvakalika-tika, dated 1060 C.E. The superior quality of the drawing in these manuscripts need not surprise us once we appreciate the fact that painting on cloth by skilful artists was prevalent long before the 11th century. Illustrations on palm-leaf manuscripts became more commonplace over the centuries and it seems that their production was extensive in the 13th and 14th centuries.
(ii) The paper period The use of paper for Jain manuscripts starts as early as the twelfth century. Its use for illustrated manuscripts, on the available evidence, does not pre-date the 14th century. The Calukya rulers of Gujarat, Siddharaja Jayasimha (1094-1142), and Kumarpala (11421172), the famous banker-ministers Vastupala - and Tejpala of the Vaghela kings, and Pethad Shah, minister of Mandal, were responsible for a number of manuscripts. U.P. Shah maintains that the earliest Jain manuscripts on paper are the Kalpa Sutra and the Kalkacharya-Katha (1346 CE). The format is narrow, only 28x8.5 cm, and the texts are only of six lines on each leaf. The narrow oblong shape of paper manuscripts continues, of course, the form of older manuscripts written on palm-leaves. No paper manuscripts in Western India, prior to 1450 CE seem to have survived. Some of the texts have been made by Bhattarakas from the 15th century onwards. Among other old illustrated manuscripts are the Kalkacharya-Katha (1366 CE) in the Prince of Wales of Museum, Bombay, the Santhinatha-charita (1396 CE) in the L.D. Institute of Indology Museum at Ahmedabad. The national Museum, Delhi has a Kalpa Sutra dated 1417 CE. Over the centuries, as the availability of good quality paper and coloured ink improved, many beautifully decorated texts in gold, silver, red and other colors have been hand written or printed.
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