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Jain library in Ara cries for help

    Ara (Bihar), April 27, 2016: The Central Jain Oriental Library on Jail Road in Ara, which was established in 1903 by scholar Dev Kumar Jain, has several books and manuscripts in Indian and foreign languages, coins of the Mughal period and rare paintings. However, the library authorities seek government help to maintain the manuscripts that date back to the 10th century.

    “Research works and catalogues must be computerized as the papers have turned yellowish. Now, we need proper support and funds from the state government to maintain the rare manuscripts, building expansion and proper seating arrangement for researchers,” said Prashant Kumar Jain, joint secretary of D K Jain Oriental Research Institute that manages the library, adding Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Rajendra Prasad, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, Sachidanand Sinha and Anugrah Narayan Singh were among those who have visited the library.

    The Jain library also has a rich collection of at least 25,000 published books on religion, philosophy, astrology, history and literature in Indian and foreign languages. Most notable among these are the illustrated ‘Jain Ramayana’ and the ‘Bhaktamar’.

    While there are numerous paintings on mythological subjects, the dreams of Chandragupta Maurya and Mother Trishala, the research section has published several books and research papers of great value. “If the government helps us, the Jain library can become one of the great centres of historical research in the region,” said Prashant Kumar Jain. – News Courtesy: Times of India

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