Manasara Series (I. A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture; II. Indian Architecture according to Manasara-Shilpashastra; III. Manasara on Architecture and Sculpture: Sanskrit Text; IV. Architecture of Manasara: Translation; V. Architecture of Manasara: Illustrations; VI. Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad; VII. An Encyclopaedia of Hindu Architecture) v7.c45.27

v7.c45.27

*Aids and encouragement received*—My sincere obligations are due, to the Secretary of State for India in Council for all facilities and help which I had the privilege of receiving as a Government of India State scholar and which were needed by a pioneer in this most exacting branch of oriental researches, specially during the Great European War of 1914–18. I take this opportunity to offer my respectful thanks in particular to late Sir Austen Chamberlain, late Sir T. W. Arnold, C.I.E., and late Mr. N. C. Sen, O.B.E. Words fail me to express adequately my gratitude to Professor Dr. F. W. Thomas, C.I.E., the then Librarian of India Office, London. As stated above, I owe to him the inception of the idea and courage to undertake this task. He placed at my disposal all the materials in the India Office and procured for me most of the available manuscripts from different libraries in India and Europe. He facilitated my work in Holland. He arranged, through the appreciation and kindness of Sir John H. Marshall, C.I.E., D.LITT., the then Director General of Archaeology in India, the creation of a prize post for me directly under the Governor in Madras for the publication of this work; this arrangement, unfortunately, fell through owing to absence on leave of Sir John Marshall and retirement of Lord Pentland at the time when I went to take up this appointment. It was again through Dr. Thomas's introduction that Sir Claude de la Fosse, C.I.E., M.A., D.LITT., the first Vice-Chancellor of the reconstructed Allahabad University, became personally interested in this work and readily induced the great educationist Governor, Sir Harcourt Butler, to recommend to the Government of the United Provinces to advance the cost of its publication.