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way to Japan. The Government has wanted me to go to Japan to start there, in accordance with the Japanese Government an institution which I had been already appointed to prepare four years ago, after my travel in India. It is a meeting place of two cultures, french and Japanese of two nations, of two languages, two arts, two civilisations. We have there social functions, lectures, exhibitions, also some residing scholars working in the field of Japanese history, language, literature. I wish that the Jaipa Community may sometimes start an Insti. tution of the kind where scholars of the west may meet eastern scholars, find Eastern works, chiefly Jaina, well, a complete collection of Jaina literature get free living in amiable surrouudings, and come in touch with the best part of the Jaina community, Jaina studies would be much more flourishing that way. I am sure the late Mabaraja Suri would have warmly approved of such a scheme.
I am sorry to learn that you are entangled in such painful difficulty about the temples of Palitana. Rajas in the present age are no more षष्ठभुज् they are सर्वभुज, not only हितभुज but पुरुषभुज, I know only of a few who are यथार्थ राजा : रक्षतीति राजा I hope that some arrangement will be arrived at and that you will be able shortly to visit that charming hill which bears such a brilliant evidence of Jaina faith and art. I visited the place in October 1897, just thirty years back, but in that time there was no Vijaya Dharma Suri to help me, assist me, guide me and I was left alone in face of Jaina Communities that did not prove as hospitable as later in Shivpuri.
I see from your last letter that you are still waiting for the press copy of Natya Darpana which had been so kindly forwarded to me. Here again I wonder for I send it back more
than one year ago through our Foreign office to our French Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com
