ABAY JAIN GRANTHALAYA

BIKANER – FROM
PERSONAL LIBRARY TO THE
RESEARCH CENTRE ON
RAJASTHANI, JAINOLOGY
AND INDOLOGY
Dr.T.K. Jain
Spiritual Trainer, Management Consultant and Career Advisor
(Principal, Sri Jain P.G. College, Bikaner)
AFTERSCHOOOL
Centre for social Entrepreneurship
Afterschool Career Guidance Trust
Sivakamu veterinary hospital road Bikaner
Rajasthan, India
M: 9414430763
0151-2544275
tkjainbkn@yahoo.co.in, afterschool@in.com
www.afterschool.tk
afterschool@in.com

Bikaner is a city of libraries. For decades, the libraries have been developed and promoted by
common people of Bikaner. There have been a large number of privately owned libraries in this
city. These libraries are owned by a few persons but they are available and accessible to the
common persons and research scholars. Unlike government funded libraries, these libraries are
funded by individuals or communities, and they are better managed. One such library is Abhay
Jain Granthalaya. It was started by Mr. Agarchand Nahata as a personal library, but today it has
converted into a library cum museam cum research centre on Jainism, Indology and Rajasthani
literature. This library continues to remain privately funded. However, if the government also
starts funding it for its projects, this library will become an electronic library and will benefit
thousands of scholars all over the world.

About the Founder : Mr. Agarchand Nahata

Born on 19 March 1911, Mr. Agarchand Nahata was an erudite person of class apart. He had
passion for reading and writing. He used to spend 20 hours a day in reading books. He didn’t
have any degree from formal education system, yet due to his vast knowledge and insights,
doctoral research scholars from all over the world used to come to him to seek his guidance and
opinions. He was a renowned authority on Indology, Jainology, and Rajasthani Literature. He
spent all his life in promoting studies and literature. He wrote over fifty books and thousands of
articles. He edited many journals and magazines. He along with his nephews Mr. Bhanwar Lal
Nahata and Mr. Hazari Mal Banthia contributed significantly to the development of Rajasthani
Literature. He had converted his home into a library. Ultimately this library was dedicated to the
nation as Abhay Jain Granthalaya. During his life time, he collected thousands of manuscripts,
books and research work. He had keen desire to collect rare books and manuscripts and thus he
was able to an uncomparable collection of rare manuscripts - mostly on Jainism, Indology and
Rajasthani.

Mr. Agarchand Nahata was my maternal grant father, therefore I used to go to him quite often.
Whenever I would go to him, I would find him surrounded by books and literature. He would pick
up some book and handover the same to me and ask me to read the book. I used to like reading
books given by him. I consider myself fortunate to be able to see such an illuminary personality in
my childhood. Mr. Nahata used to ask everyone to read books. He was passionate for learning
and used to encourage everyone to read and learn.

He wanted to put his collections in systematic order, therefore, all his collections were put in
Abhay Jain Granthalaya, where there was facility for researchers and scholars. Over a period of
time, the library helped hundereds of scholars in understanding Jainism, Indology and Rajasthani
Literature.

On 12 January 1983 Mr Agarchand Nahata passed away. There was an uncertainity for some
time about Abhay Jain Granthalaya. However, Mr. Bhanwar Lal Nahata, Mr. Hazari Mal Banthia,
Mr. Suraj Mal Pugalia, Mr. Vijay Chand Nahata (Son of Mr. Agarchand Nahata), Mr. Harakh
Chand Nahata (Nephew of Mr. Agarchand Nahata) and others joined together to promote the
library further. Later on, Mr. Harakh Chand Nahata donated his land, to the library. This land is
just adjoining the library.

Outstanding contribution of Mr. Agarchand Nahata :

Mr. Nahata was conferred many awards and prestigious recognition of his time, some of the
awards were :
Sauvarn Padak Samman Patra,Rajasthan Sahitya Academy , Udaipur
Tampatra,Mahaveer Nirvan Shatapadi, Bikaner ,Jaipur
Siddhaacharya, Jain Sidhant Bhavan ,Aara
Vidhavardhi , International Academy Of Jain Wisdom And Culture,Aara,Alijang
Tampatra, Kashi Nagari Prachin Sabha ,Varanasi
Kangara Tirth Rasim, Kangara Jain Samati ,Hosheyarpur
Rajasthan Sathiya Vachaspati,Rajasthan Bhasa Prachar Sabha ,Jaipur (Vibhag
Bikaner )
Jain Sathiya Rattan Shri Jindaat Suri Astam Shatabadi ,Ajmer
Jain Ithaas Ratan ,Sri Jindaat Suri Saang
Jain Ithaas Ratan ,Shri Mannidhari Astam Shatabadi,Delhi
Saandhratan, Shri Mannidhari Astam Shatabadi Samaroh
Samajgaurav, Bharat Jain Mandal ,Mambai
Rashtra Gaurav, Banglore Jain Mandal ,Banglore
Rajasthan Sathiya Vachaspati, Rajasthan Bahsha Prachar Sabha, Jaipur
Samaj Ratan, Veer Virvan Bharti ,Meerut (Honoured By Vice-President Shri Jati
Ji)
Sathiya Vachaspati,Hindi Sathiya Sammalan,Prayaj
Siddanth Mahodi, Shri Mahakoshal Jain Shewtambat Sangh
Sarvajanik Abhinandan,Rajasthan Bhasha Samati,Bikaner (Maharaja Kumar
Nerendra Singh Ji Ki Adhyakshatya Mai
Sarvajanik Abhinandan,Bikaner Mai Dr.Daulat Singh Ji Kothari Ki Adhyakshatya
Mai
Abhinandan Granth Samarpan, Delhi(By Prime Minister Smt. Indra Gandhi Ji)
For more details about Mr. Nahata, please visit the website : www.agarchandnahata.com
The Future : -
The Abhay Jain Granthalaya is converting all its documents into electronic form. There is a plant
to convert this library into e-library, so that people can access its literature from across the globe.
The Library is a dream of Mr. Agarchand Nahata and we wish that this library should continue to
benefit scholars inteterested in studying Jainism, Indology or Rajasthani literature.