Book Review – Treasures of Jaina Bhandaras
Summary
The book review discusses "Treasures of Jaina Bhandaras," edited by Umakant P. Shah and published by the L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad, as part of the L. D. Series 69. The book catalogues important manuscripts, sculptures, and other antiquities of Jaina art displayed in an exhibition organized by the L. D. Institute of Indology to commemorate 2500 years of Lord Mahavira’s nirvana. The review notes that the book complements Shah’s earlier monumental works, "New Documents of Jaina Paintings from Western India" (Ahmedabad, 1975), co-authored with Moti Chandra, and "More Documents of Jaina Paintings" (Ahmedabad, 1976), by providing further documents with dates and places of copying, aiding in the study of painting centres and styles in Gujarat and Rajasthan from the fourteenth to the twentieth centuries A.D. The review highlights the pioneering works of Ananda Coomaraswamy and W. Norman Brown on Jaina paintings illustrating texts such as the Kalpa-sutra, Kalaka-katha, and Uttaradhyayana-sutra. It mentions the sensitivity of form in earlier manuscript illustrations and sculptures, such as the dancing Vidyadevi on the wall of the Ajitanatha temple at Taranga built by Kumarapala in the 12th century A.D., and a donor lady in the Trisastisalakapurusacaritra (Cambay Cat. No. 186, Folio 234). The exhibition also included items beyond Jaina affiliation, such as folios of the Hindi Ramayana of Tulsidasa in Devanagari and Urdu scripts, the Kiratarjuniya-Mahakavya of Bharavi, and a 14th-century Tantric armour of bone carved with Buddhist gods. Among the sculptures, the most invaluable is the Parsvanatha of light green jade (Cat. No. 575), gifted to the L.D. Institute by Muni Sri Punyavijayaji. Shah’s comments on the paintings in the Bhandaras, particularly palm-leaf miniatures in the Santinatha Jaina Bhandara, Cambay, emphasize the need for careful analysis of Western Indian sub-styles, building upon Brown’s earlier classifications. The review concludes that the book reveals a forgotten splendour of Jaina art, rooted in ancient styles and refreshed by Jaina ideology.
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Conclusion
The review of *Treasures of Jaina Bhandaras* highlights the publication’s profound contribution to the study of Jaina art, particularly the rich repository of paintings and manuscripts preserved in Western Indian bhandaras. It underscores the work’s significance in illuminating a previously underexplored field of art history, offering a comprehensive catalog of invaluable objects, including unique sculptures like a jade image of Parsvanatha. The text emphasizes how the exhibition and accompanying volume reveal a forgotten splendour rooted in traditional Jaina ideology, characterized by linear grace and symbolic depth. By presenting a spectrum of regional painting styles and materials, the publication provides a crucial foundation for future scholarly analysis and classification, advancing the critical study of Jaina iconography and the broader cultural heritage of the region.