Jain Miniature Paintings from Western India c6.386

c6.386

It is a well-known fact to the students of Western Indian painting that the paper period was prolific in the production of innumerable Jain manuscripts. It is mentioned in the *Vīravamśāvalī* that, in 1394 A.D., Sangrāma Sonī, a Jain house-holder, spent lacs of golden coins in the preparation of the manuscripts of the *Kalpasūtra* and the *Kālakācārya-kathā* for the benefit of the Jain monks.⁶⁵ Such was the demand for learning and anxiety to preserve the ancient stores of knowledge for the posterity that Jinabhadra Sūri spent the best part of his life in establishing Jñāna Bhaṇḍārs or store-houses of knowledge, and it was through his efforts that libraries were established in the recognised centres of the Jains such as Jaisalmer, Javalpuri, Devagiri, Ahipura, Pāṭaṇ, etc.⁶⁶