Operation In Search of Sanskrit Manuscripts in Mumbai Circle 1

Author(s): P Piterson
Publisher: Royal Asiatic Society

Page 58

IN THE BOMBAY CIRCLE.
45
We turned and fled the scene, thinking in our hearts that a sight like this might possibly open the eyes even of certain commentators.
On the fourth day of my stay at Jeypore, I had the honour of an interview with H. H. the Maharajâ, who was good enough to issue orders to the extremely orthodox Brahmins in whose charge the royal collection of books is, to grant me free admittance and inspection of any book I might call for. I spent the next three days in going as carefully as possible over the library with the aid of the very rough MS. catalogue; but in the short time at my disposal I was unable to do more for the purposes of the search than make a harried note of books, to be added to our lists of desiderata, or of which it seemed desirable to arrange for copies. In this as in other parts of my work in Jeypore, I was much assisted by my friends, Pandit Durga Prasada, and others, whose co-operation and interest I desire heartily to acknowledge. That it was not feasible to do more on this first visit to Jeysingh's famous library was, I felt, the less to be regretted that Bühler had already made as careful an examination as was consistent with the time at his disposal. It is much to be wished that the enlightened Jeypore Darbar woald employ for a sufficient time a competent scholar to make a catalogue raisonnée of a collection which there can be no reasonable doubt still hides much from the learned world. There are pandits in Jeypore who.could do this work admirably, on the many excellent European models now available, if means could be found to satisfy the vested interests of the hereditary keepers of the books.
On enquiring after the copies of the selected works ordered for Dr. Bühler, I was informed that they had been duly made and stowed awuy no one knew where. As I had no list of the books in question, and could find no one who would confess to any very precise knowledge of the matter, I was fain to be content with the promise kindly made by Ilis Highness's intelligent Private Secretary, Baboo Keshub Chunder Sen, that the books should be looked out. I can only here express the hope that my report next year will contain an account of these books, and of the copies ordered on the present occasion at my own request.
I left Jeypore on the 14th of October for Ajmir. From Ajmir an easy excursion was made to Pushkar, a place whose chief claim to distinction now is by some considered to spring out of the annual