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CULTURAL IMPORTANCE OF THE GRANTHA BHANDARAS
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years can be reconstructed also on the basis of the material found in the Jaina Grantha Bhandars.
There is a manuscript in the Sastra Bhandar of Pandya Lunkaran of Jaipur, which gives the description of the emperors who had been on the Delhi throne. It also describes the history of the foundation of Delhi. According to it, it was in the time of Anangapal that the city was founded and called Dhilli. The same word Dhilli for Delhi was used by Sridhara, an Apabharamsa scholar of the 12th century in his Pasanah-Cariu. Similarly in the Sastra Bhandar of Jain temple Terapanthi, Jaipur there is a manuscript called Rajavansa Varnan which presents a complete description of the rulers of Delhi from the Pandavas onwards.
We find references not only to the rulers of Delhi but also to rulers of states, governors of provinces and districts and big jagirdars. Information about the rulers of various Rajput states of Jaipur, Bikaner, Udaipur, Bundi, Kotah, Bharatpur and others can be collected. The references show that some of the Rajput rulers and administrators were great patrons of literature and art and under their rule, several manuscripts were copied. They encouraged scholars and patronized them. Apart from the independent historical works, there are several works in which the authors make casual or incidental references which some times also prove helpful.?
Apart from the historical references about the rulers, there is material for the Jaina Devans and Administrators of States like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Udaipur and Bundi. Jains occupied high posts in the States and always remained loyal to their rulers. The Devans and Administrators served the rulers not only in the time of peace and prosperity but also in the time of
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