Treasures of Jaina Bhandaras

Author(s): Umakant P Shah, Dalsukh Malvania, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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INTRODUCTION
Collections of manuscripts preserved by the Jaina Sangha and individual monks are found in India at various places in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, Karnataka etc. Now a days they are called Bhandāras but in olden days they were called Citkosas, Bhāratibhāņdāgāras, Sarasvatibhāndāgāras and Sarsvatibhandaras.' These collections are very rich in their contents and some of them preserve most ancient copies of manuscripts on palm-leaves, paper and cloth on all subjects, secular and religious. Not only that but mss. written in golden and silver ink and with illustrations are also found in good number in these collections. In view of these valuable treasures available in the Jaina mss. collections, the authority of the L. D. Institute of Indology wisely decided to arrange an exhibition of important mss., sculptures and other antiquities of Jaina Art during the celebrations of 2500th years of Lord Mahāvira's Nirvāṇa. Through the good offices of Gujarat State Committee for the Celebration of 2500th Anniversary of Mahāvira Nirvāna, the Govt. of Gujarat State gave liberal financial assistance of Rs. 1,50,000 for the purpose. Due to some difficulties the exhibition had to be postponed during the celebrations but it was held from 16-11-75 to 30-11-75 after the celebrations were over.
We were able to procure some of the best mss. and other material from the various collections and we are grateful to the trustees of all those collections. As the exhibition was postponed some of the mss. borrowed from these collections had to be returned before the exhibition. However, photographs and transparencies were prepared of several selected illustrations of antiquities for a future study. The present catalogue lists the thus exhibited antiquities and also some important ones which had to be returned after taking photographs, as they were originally borrowed for a limited time.
The present Catalogue therefore does not aim at a full study of all the manuscripts and miniatures once borrowed. But some notes are added from whatever
'Tripathi, Chandrabhal, Catalogue of the Jaina manuscripts at Strasbourg, Introduction, p. 4
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