Manuscripts constitute the largest category of written matter which is the legacy of India’s thought and heritage. Palm leaf manuscripts came into being as a method of preserving the age-old oral traditions of knowledge transmission prevalent in India. Historians date the earliest fragments to the 6th century BC. Not only religious texts, but commentaries, manuals and literature was also transcribed on palm leaf manuscript form, and continued till the introduction of handmade paper in the 10 and 11th centuries by the Arabs. The long narrow format of the palm leaf continued even after the introduction of paper.
Buddhist illustrated palm leaf manuscript tradition began in eastern India under the Pala rulers, while Jain illustrated manuscripts became popular in Rajasthan and Gujarat. The Jain Bhandaras became a repository of the illustrated manuscript texts like Kalpasutra, Kalkacharya Katha amongst others. With the introduction of paper, manuscript writing and illustration became prevalent in many parts of India, including the south. The holy Quran, Bible and Guru Granth Sahib are also found in the manuscript form.
Manuscripts Section:
The Muni Punyavijayaji Collection of manuscripts at the LD Institute of Indology and LD Museum, of which many are illustrated, are splendid specimens of aesthetic and historical merit, landmarks in the history of Indian painting in general and that of Jaina miniature painting in particular. The rich collection consists of nearly 75,000 rare manuscripts. Some of these are here for the purpose of preservation and custody. Many manuscripts are written on palm leaf, birch-bark (bhojpatra) and handmade paper. Some of the manuscripts are written in gold and silver inks, while many others are illustrated. The collection ranges over numerous subjects such as the Vedas, the Agamas, tantra, Jain religion & philosophy, systems of Indian philosophy, grammar, prosody, poetics, lexicography, medicine etc. These manuscripts are in sanskrit, prakrit, apabhramsa, old gujarati, hindi and rajasthani languages. A large number of these manuscripts are illustrated both in vivid colours as well as black & white.
Some of the important and rare manuscripts preserved in the Institute are: Yajurveda, Tripuri Upanishad by Shankaracharya, Bhaguri’s Smruti Samucchaya, Rangavijaya’s Gurjardesha Rajvanshavali Bauddhadipanca-darshana, Ramcandra’s Mahavidyalankara, Ruchidutta’s commentary on Tattavacintamani-Cintamani-Subodhika, Rajashehara’s Nyayakandalipanjika, Gopikanta’s Nyayadeepa, Commentaries on Kumarasambhava, Kiratarjuniyam, Raghuvansha etc. Yavana-nama-mala of some Mantri’s son, Himasagar’s Pashimadisha Chanda in Persian, Vilasavati Natika, Rajimatiprabandha Nataka, Vivekamanjari, Sita Carita, Yoganibandhana, Rama Shataka, Hamsanidan, Sagachandrodaya, Pharasiprakash (Dictionary), Yadusundara, etc.
Some of rare, illustrated manuscripts in the Institutes’ holding are: Shaliihotradi having 128 illustration of horses, Vyayamachintamani, illustrating different poses of physical exercises, Meghadoota (only one such manuscript known up till now), Uttaradhyayanasutra, Upadeshamala, Kalpassutra, Kumarasambhava, Gajastambha (having 42 illustrations of elephant), Badshah-chitravali illustrating the Muslim Kings, Gajachakra-Ashvacakra, having 50 illustrations, Madhumalati, Dhola-Maru having 65 illustrations, Gita-Govinda, Tulsi Ramayana etc.