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Manuscript Libraries of India Origin, Growth and Problems

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Manuscript Libraries of India Origin, Growth and Problems MANUSCRIPT LIBRARIES OF INDIA ORIGIN, GROWTH AND PROBLEMS by M. K. Kumbhar A Master's Dissertation, submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Master of Arts degree of the Loughborough University of Technology September 1990 Supervisor: Dr. R. P. Sturges Department of Library and Information Studies (c) Kumbhar, 1990 To my gurus Bhavatam vastuni bhavadabhyah samarpaye Dr. M. I. Prajapati S. c. Biswas Dr. R. P. Sturges N. S. Yajnik CONTENTS page Abstract 'i V Acknowlegements V Foreword vii Chapter 1 Heritage of manuscripts in India : an introduction 1 1.1 Definition of manuscript 1 1.2 Literary tradition and manuscripts 2 1 . 3 Manuscripts and their catalogues 3 1.4 Importance of manuscripts 4 1.5 Concluding remarks 6 References 8 2 Ancient period : 3000 B.C. to 1200 A.D. 9 2.1 Antiquity : the Indus valley civilisation 9 2.2 The Aryan civilisation 10 2.2.1 Brahmanical sources and manuscript libraries 11 2.2.1.1 The Vedic period 11 2.2.1.2 The post Vedic period 12 2.2.2 Buddhist sources and manuscript libraries 13 2.2.2.1 Background 13 2.2.2.2 Accounts of Chinese pilgrims (Fa-hsien, Hiuen Tsang and I-tsing) 15 2.2.2.3 Educational establishment and manuscript libraries (Taksasila, Nalanda, Vallabhi, and Vikramsila) 17 2.2.3 Jain sources and manuscript libraries 22 2.2.3.1 Background 22 2.2.3.2 Pioneering attempts 23 2.2.3.3 Contributions of Siddharaj and Kumarapal 24 2.3 Concluding remarks 25 References 27 3 Medieval period : 1200 - 1800 A.D. 29 3.1 Background 29 3.2 The Delhi Sultanate 1206 - 1526 29 3.3 The Mughul Dynasty 1526 - 1857 31 3.4 Minor Muslim kingdoms 37 3.5 Hindu kingdoms 38 3.6 Concluding remarks 41 References 43 4 Modern period : 1800 - 1947 A.D. 45 4.1 Background 45 4.2 Pioneering attempts : 1784 - 1867 46 4.3 Renaissance period : 1968 - 1900 49 4.4 National Awakening period : 1900 - 1947 52 4.5 Concluding remarks 54 References ss 5 Post independence period : 1947 - 1990 56 5.1 The Sanskrit Commission and follow up actions 56 5.2 Contribution of some of the newly established institutions 57 5.3 The New Catalogus Catalogorum and other related bibliographical works 59 5.4 Types of manuscript centres (Oriental institutions, Academic establishments, Jain bhandars, Private collections etc.) 61 5.5 Notes on some of the leading institutions (Adyar Library, Madras, Asiatic Society, Calcutta, B.O.R.I.,Poona, L.D. Institute, Ahmedabad, Oriental Institute, Baroda, Sarasvati Bhavan, Varanasi, T.M.S.S.M.L., Thanjavur) 68 5.6 Concluding remarks 84 References 86 .6 Islamic manuscript libraries 87 6.1 Historical background 87 6.2 Critical appraisal 88 6.3 Notes on some of the leading institutions (Khuda Bakhsh Library, Patna, Aligarh Muslim University Library, Raza Library, Rampur, Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad) 89 6.4 Concluding remarks 95 References 96 7 Overseas Indic manuscript centres 97 7.1 Historical background 97 7.2 Notes on selected countries's Indic manuscript centres. (Bangladesh, France, Germany, Nepal, Pakistan, United Kingdom, U.S.A.) 98 7.3 Concluding remarks 109 References 111 8 Writing materials and the art of writing 113 8. 1 Background 113 8.2 Writing materials (Birch bark, Palm-leaf, Paper, stone, Metal plates, Bricks, Wooden boards, Leather, Cloth, Ink, Pen) 113 8.3 Concluding remarks 126 iii References 128 9 Management issues 130 9.1 Organisational s.et-up 130 9.2 Technical issues 131 9. 2.1 Classification 131 9. 2.1 Cataloguing 132 9.3 Preservation of manuscripts 142 9.3.1 Traditional methods 142 9.3.2 Modern technique 145 9.4 Concluding remarks 150 References 152 10 Epilogue 154 Appendices I Alphabetical list of some of the leading manuscript centres in India and the number of manuscripts preserved therein 159 II Chart showing the number of Indic manuscripts preserved in Western countries 162 III Chart showing the number of Indic manuscripts preserved in United Kingdom, institutions lOti Bibliography 167 Illustrations 1 Map (Leading Indian manuscript centres on map) following forward page 2 Plates 1 - 4 following page no 09 ABSTRACT India possesses a rich heritage of manuscripts related to her art, culture, literature etc. These manuscripts are considered as a very important resource for the study of ancient and medieval India. Normally, these manuscripts were' written during the 9th to the 19th century, except for the few manuscripts and fragments dated since 2nd century A.D. onwards. It is roughly estimated that there are over 3.5 million manuscripts written in various languages and scripts, and on different types of materials preserved in India. Unfortunately, during the medieval period, thousands of valuaole manuscripts were destroyed by Muslim invaders. However, the Muslim rulers' attempts to promote Islamic art, calligraphy and culture are noteworthy. From 1868 onwards, attempts were made to collect manuscripts from different authorities and places, to be made available to the public. The British Government of India and the Western orientalists played a key role in conducting surveys and in collecting and preserving manuscripts. During the early 20th century several more important manuscripts have been discovered and a number of institutions devoted to oriental studies have been established. All these institutions have succeeded in building up rich manuscript collections and in publishing catalogues, of which there have been about 725 to date. Because of a lack of photocoping and microfilming facilities in several institutions and the fact of the manuscript being in distant and many different places, and the lack of up to date union catalogues (both general and subject) these manuscripts are not very accessible. There is a need to conduct a thorough and intensive survey at national level to collect all these scattered manuscripts. The Government of India should establish a national manuscript library, where manuscripts can be easily accessible to all users. Alternatively, these manuscripts including the overseas collections, should be microfilmed at an early date and copies should be provided at prominent oriental study centres in the country. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation was prepared under the valuable guidance of Dr. R. P. Sturges. He took a keen and unusual intrest in the subject and provided kind help and encouragement. Moreover, the subject for which I opted was mainly due to his inspiration and moral support. I express my deep gratitude and reverence to him. I am grateful to the Department of Culture, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, and the British Council for sponsoring and providing opportunities of advanced studies in the field of library and information studies. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Mr. S. C. Biswas, ex-Director, Central Secretariat Library, New Delhi, for his kind and multifaceted help and constant encouragement. I am in debt to Ms. Sandra Ramjattan for thoroughly checking the manuscript and grammatically correcting it. She had spontaneously offered her services without the least material interest. I am equally grateful to Ms. Janet Stevenson, Language Tutor for thoroughly going through the text and making it sound. I must accept that without the help of several scholars, institutions, librarians, colleagues and friends, this dissertation would not have been completed on time. I expressed my respectful regards to all of them. But, among them, mention must be made of Dr. K. V. Sharma, an eminent Sanskrit scholar who had tendered great help in providing the literature with spontananeous spirit. I pay my humble regards to him. I am equally grateful to my friends and colleagues Mr. Inder Deo, Assistant Director, Central Secretariat Library, New Delhi, Ms. Madhuri Bhatia, Dr. Usha Rameshvar, Ms. Raj Kishori Verma and Mr. B. M. Malappa for supplying voluminous materials. Their whole-hearted support enabled me to complete the work. I am also grateful to Muni Johrmalji, Seva Mandir, Jodhpur, N. S. Yajnik, ex-Principal, Arts and Science College, Palanpur, Dr. M. I. Prajapati, Principal, Arts and Commerce College, Thara, Dr. Gangadharan, Reader, Dept. of Sanskrit, Uni. Of Madras, Dr. Ramesh Betai, Director, L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad, Mr. N. P. Jain, President, B. L. Institute of Indology, Delhi, Dr. w. P. Marett, D.L.I.S., Loughborough Uni., Dr. Vasudha Dalmia-Luderitz, Uni. of Tubiengen, Ms. Kanta Bhatia, South Asia Bibliographer, Uni. of Pennsylvania Library, P. Titus, Kerala Uni. Library, Trivandrum, J. rt B. Katz, Indian Institute, Oxford, Dr. Allen, the Wellcome Institute, London and Ms. Biswas, India Office Library, London who provided numerous information which I requested from them. I am also thankful to my friend Mr. Ramaiah for going through the text and making some useful suggestions. I must say that without the active and effective services of the Inter Library Loan Section of the Pilkington Library, I would not have been able· to do the work smoothly. This section provided several rare publications which were very helpful to me. I am sincerely thankful to my friends Mr. Amrit Patel, Ramajibhai Savani and Manorbhai Patel for helping in more than one way. And last, but not least I am grateful to my wife Mrs. Kantaben, and our children Saroj, Devayani, Hetal and Angiras for their patience and moral support. FOREWORD This dissertation is a byproduct of a project title "Survey of Indian Manuscript Centres" conducted by Biswas and the present author during the year 1988 1989. This was sponsored by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, New Delhi. The present author visited leading manuscript centres in India and collected the data regarding availability of manuscripts, their catalogues and all other related information • In addition to this, a questionnaire was sent through the post to about 700 institutions, but the response was only ten per cent.
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