Jainism in India

Author(s): Ganesh Lalwani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 10

(ix)
It is because of this state of affairs that most Jains are today not aware of the vital part played by their ancients in the overall evolution of Indian culture. The Jain apathy has also resulted in the sidelining of their contributions by scholars not fully acquainted with the Jain culture and more so by the biased sectarians from other numerous religious sects.
The continuing apathy and neglect has done irredeemable damage to the already depleted evidences of the long and glorious past. Famed scholar of archaeology-late Muni Kantisagarji had visited many archaeologically important places and collected a lot of valuable data. He was moved by the condition of neglect at many of these places. He had published some of his findings in a book titled." Khandaharon Ka Vaibhav"-in 1953; his pathetic rendering of the state of neglect and pithy remarks by Shri Laxmi Chand Jain (author of the preface of the book) must have been read by a lot many people. But very little worth a mention has been done since, to improve the state of affairs.
In the remote hope that it might stirs and inspire some people earnestly devoted to the cause of preserving such evidences of the past glory of the Jains and rewriting their history scientifically, I am quoting some selected remarks from the preface of the said book:
(A) "In Paunar (near Vardha) during 1943 the author had read a stone inscription dated 14th century and of great historical importance. It could have been useful in solving some riddle of history. At that time the person who owned this piece of stone did not want to part with it in spite of all pursuations. When the author visited Pavanar once again he found that the stone had been used in constructing a wall of a house. Alpthabets of history had vanished."
(B) "This is Keljhar, 10 miles from Paunar. There are many pillars here. And this is a broken pillar on which there is an intact carving of
ere is an intact carving of the scene of "Samavasarana" (divine assembly of a Tirthankar)--so beautiful and gorgeuos that by far it was the best engraving of a Samavasarana the author had seen till date. The farmer who owns it uses it for drying cow-dung discs (used as fuel). Here dung-art is created over the script of history. Extinction thrives on the horizon."
(C) "This is Nagara, in district Bhandara. In 1942 when the author went there he found a 15 line inscription on a statue. Impressed by the historical importance of the epigraph, the author copied it. No arrangement to preserve the statue could be made as, it was indispensible for the farmer who owned it. He used it to grind and sharpen his tools. During the 1951 visit it was revealed that the statue had been broken and the pieces used in construction of a memorial for a religious leader. The soul of history, passing through sharp