________________ BHANDARKAR ORIENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE POONA (Registered under Act XXI of 1860) 1. HISTORY :- The idea of an Oriental Institute offering facilities to research workers and at the sam commemorating the work and name of the late Sir R. G. Bhandarkar was adumbrated at a public meeting held at A thram, Poona, on the 6th of July, 1915. The scheme was received enthusiastically; and with public support, Gover sympathy, and chiefly the noble aid rendered by the Tatas and the Jain community, ohe scheme soon materialized ; * Institute was formally inau rurated by H. E. Lord Willingdon on the 6th of July 1917. The Institute began its regular in October 1918, when the Government of Bombay were pleased to transfer to the Institute the MSS. Collection formerly Deccan College (together with the maintenance grant of Rs. 3,000), as also to hand over to the Institute the managem the Bombay Sanskrit and Prakrit Series, together with the grant of Rs. 12,000 set aside for that purpose. The Maia 1 the building named "The J. N. Tata Research Fall" was occupied in 1918, and the two side halls named "The Khetsi Manuscrits Hall " and the "Rstan Tata Iranian and Semitic Hall" in 1922. Ten years later, at a cost of Rs. 2 there was orected a separate building to honge the Institute's Press and the growing stock of its publications, while following year the Government of H. E. H. the Nizam gave a donation of Rs. 32,000 for building a Guest House, named the Donor. The total expense on the various buildings of the Institute has been over two lacs of rupees. 2. WORK :-(i) TYE MATARTARATA DEPARTMENT is engaged in bringing out the Critical Edition of the Mahabh topic of Orlia for details beyond those given in this Prospectus, write to the Secretary, Mahabharata Editorial the (ii) "THE MANUSCRIPT DEPARTMENT contains some 20,000 Sapskrit MSS., which are lent to all bona fide se under certain conditions. The MSS. were collected for Government by Buhler, Kielhorn, Bhandarkar, and others since ant they form one of he largest and most valuable collections of Sanskrit MSS., which is being properly looked after Institute. The Descriptive Catalogue of MSS. is estimated to run i estimated to run into about 40 volu' les, out or which 10 have been al publisned, while prese copies of 18 more volumes have been ready for some time, aw ving funds for their publication. iii) Tire IRANIAN AND SEMITIC DEPARTMENT was created in 1920 for the collection and preservation of Avel Pehlevi, Persian and Arabie MSS. A number of old and rare MSS. have been collected and described in a Catalogue, wh & sibrary of printed books pertaining to these subjects is beiug built up. (iv) Tin PUBLICATION DEPARTMENT, besides conducting the week of the Bombay Sanskrit and Prulerit Series, his started a new series called the Government Oriental Series which includes texts, translations, as well as independent origina world. There is also a third series of the Institute's own publications. In the first 25 years of its adminigbration of the Govt. Publication grant, the Department has in the two Govt. series issued 30 new works, besides 12 reprints or revisions o earlier publications. In the Institute's own Series 4 volumes have thus far been issued in recognition of the handsome hel rendered by the Jain community, the Instibute is devoting Special attention to the publication of Jain Literature. 1 ha brought oui il new edition of the Syalva lamai jari, and revised editione of the Des'inamamala and Kumara patacarita, while the first volume of the Catalogus Catalogorum of all Jain MSS. was issued only a few months ago. A complete list of the pablications on sale at the Institute can be had free on application. (v) THE SALES DEPARTMENT carries on the sale of all the publications of the Institute, as also of the old stock of the Bombay Sanskrit and trakrit Seriep, transferred by Government in 1922. There are thus over one hundred dillerent books now available for anle. The members of the Institutte get a special discount on their purchases. The Institute also shocks and sels the Reports and Peedings of the All-India Oriental Conferences. (vi) Tire JOURNAL DEPARTMINT looks to the conduct of the Annals of the Institnte, which was started in 1919, and i now publiched quarterly. Members obtain the Annals free of cost. To others the annual gubscription is Rs. 10. A few com plete sets of the Annals are still procurable. (vii) The LIBRARY DEPARTMENT : The private collection of the late Sir R. G. Bhandarkar was transferred to the institute in 1925, and consists of about 3,000 old and rare volumes on Tudology. Books from this library camios be ler out but are available to members at the Institute for purposes of study and reference. The Institute also purchases and roceive 28 presents several books each year, as also a number of learned periodicals. The total number of volumes in the library, whic specializes in Indology, is about 15,000. For the use of members a Reading Room of select Oriental Journals of India, Europ and America is maintained and brought up-la-date. (viii) THE POST GRADUATE DETARTMENT : The Institute is one of the recognised centres in Poona for carry ng Postgraduate and Research braining under the direction of the University of Bombay. (ix) THE PRESS DEPARTMENT prints the 1929als of the Institute, the Descriptive Catalogues of MSS, m m of the works in the Government Serios. Fron March 1911 it has begun pruting some of the volumes in the Critici El i the Mahabharata. ain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only wwwjainelibrapa
