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'Bhanwarlal Nahata : Perseverance and Erudition Embodied
Indeed ! Born to blossom and to blossom to the Nature's best. He lived; he learned; he studied; he travelled; he thought; he researched and wrote and wrote and was hardly there an end to it.
Every thing was in order as should be. Shree Bhanwarlaljee Nahata was born with the proverbial golden spoon in mouth into the well known Nahata family of Bikaner, on September 19,1911. His grandfather, Shankardanjee, was a great Patriarch of a flourishing family, and the father, Shree Bhairundanjee Nahata, |ike-wise, generous and bountiful, was a leading businessman and top-notch social activist. The Mother, Teja Devi, equally quite in keeping with the family traditions, upholding great moral and social values, was an upright lady.
The little Bhanwarlal might be disappointment to the family, for he bade good-bye to the formal education after class V itself.
But. things did not turn as under. Soon after leaving the school, under the able guidance and inspiring care of his uncle Agarchandji, and revered Acharya Shree Sukhsagarjee and Shree Jinkripa'chand Surijee.lhe boy's self studies began and fructifying, he proved equal to the task. Born to flourish differently, he studied and studied. He earned laurels for his great literary work, research, editing and renditions. He lived to guide and enlighten aspiring scholars in their missions. A self made scholar, an embodiment of perseverance and education, he became mighty nonacademic entity whom, everybody coming in touch with him, revered. Many consider marriage a binding force, but also a deviation from the considered pointed path. But in Bhanwarlaljee's case, it was highly inspiring and helping. His marriage with Smt. Jatan Devi, daughter of Late Rawatmaljee Surana, was blissful. She gave him several children to fill the family with joy and inspiration in his chosen work and path of life. So the journey of studies and research, editing and collecting rarities went on. As a laudable witness to his mighty genius, is the world famous Abhay Jain Granthalaya (Library), setup in the memory of his uncle Abhayrajjee Nahata, Bikaner. It is equipped with Bhanwarlalji Nahata, the nephew, & Agarchandji Nahata, the uncle , the Duo’s lifelong efforts :- Some 60,000 invaluable manuscripts, more than a lakh of printed books Incomparable artifacts genuine art pieces and varieties of various other sorts.
To a person of this high ability and perseverance, this is quite in fitness of the thing. At one stroke, Sri Bhanwarlaljee may be described as a profound scholar, linguist and a rear scholar of the lipis (Scripts) - Brahmi, Kharo-shti, Devnagari and languages : Prakrit, Sanskrit, Upbhrance, Magadhi, Hindi, Rajasthani, Gujrati, Marathi and Bengali. In nutshell, in Indian context, sans English, he knew everything old scriptures, inscriptions, rockedicts, coins, images and statues or any such thing that ancient written material demanded. So to say, he was a monument of erudition and an inexhaustible store of energy. It may not be an exaggeration to call him a paragon of knowledge of Jainism and matters related to it. Not confined only to the periphery of this knowledge, he is also credited with informatory, thoughtful research papers and articles more than three hundred in number, for the use of students and scholars of various genres and also for interested people in general. He was a mastermind who could decipher, with an ease of magician, ancient scripts and writings and explain the truth hidden in them. In short, he was a gifted manuscriptologist. He could read a manuscript faster than a printed book. To see him, one might say, was to believe him.
The great jainism and jain literature owe a lot to Shree Nahata. It might not be far from truth that he alone did the work, of hundreds of scholars alone in his life time. His life mission seemed to be writing, research and giving creative human touch to dry knowledge. He dedicated himself to exposing the secrets of jain tenets minutely to the seekers after truth and bring this latent knowledge through his creative writings, both religious and literary, researchers and their renderings into Hindi, Rajasthani, Gujrati,' Marathi and Bengali.
His rendition of the most popular religious jain work "Bhaktamar" into melodious Hindi poetry, is a brilliant example of his artistry, "Bhaktamar" in original is many a jain's daily spiritual fare. His translations'have added spiritual flavour to millions of lives by making them understand the inner crust of the true religious implications of several such great texts.
It's a common knowledge that Sri Nahataji was a wanderlust. It took him to different destinations in the country, it went on nonstop till he was 85, when he broke bone in his leg; but it did not hinder his work of studies and researches. The purpose of his wanderings was to research, to delve deep into the past, whether it be the archaeological-rockedicts, related to coins, images, statues and materials found out in dugout historical remains of a city, mound, pilgrimage centre, or of an important temple. His researches have an impressible imprint of enlightening peep into the past. His keen interest into various branches of knowledge made him discover a six hundred year old manuscript on chemicals, metals and gems authored by Thakur Pheru Dhandhia. Sri Nahataji prepared the press-copy of it and sent it to Muni Shree Jin Vijayji, an eminent archaeologist, for its publications. Later on, it was famously published by "Prachya Vidyapratisthan", Jodhpur, and the book was placed under Gems and Metals testing research category. It is considered an outstanding achievement.
One major achievement of Shree Nahataji is his poetic creation " Shree Sahajanandghanam Chariyam" in Aawahatta, a language of the last order of Upbhransha, in these modern times. To get informed "Kirtilata" by the eminent Hindi poet Vidyapati and "Prakrit Pingal" by Pinglacharya are also composed in the ancient Aawahatta language. Shree Nahata's, this poetic creation, has been highly commended by Prof. A. N. Banerjee, a linguist of Calcutta University, department of Philology. He has called Nahatajee the modern Vidyapati and PingalaCharya. It is great tribute to his poetic genius.
Shree Nahatajee not only wrote, composed and researched, but he also edited, compiled and published several books in Rajasthani, Hindi, Gujrati and Marathi. Besides 81 printed works, big and small, of different nature, in association with his uncle Agarchandjee Nahata, nearly 8000 essays and various research papers have been so far published. In itself, every essay is a might affair. They have been published in 400 magazines and papers. There is hardly a genre in literature that has been left untouched by him for translation or original creative purposes. Thus, he has extensively written on Jain religion and philosophy, folklore and tradition, history and culture, art and architecture, language and literature. Everything in his literary genre veers round Jainism - a rare achievement for a nonacademic person. A scholar has remarked that his contributions are more than a D.Litt.
The man who studied only upto class V in a Jain Pathsala, had the credit of guiding several research#scholars and help them in achieving their Ph.D degrees. He was, as if, a moving library, a ready reference to any knowledge or knotty problem related to religion, art and antiquities. He combined in himself "the great learning of an Oriental Pundit with the argus-eyed faculty of a modern scholar." It is indeed, his voracious and persistent studies that turned him in to a self made scholar.
Little wonder, Shree Nahatajee's various research papers and works are included into prescribed texts of various universities in India and also abroad. He is quoted as authority. They are treated as proofs and standard references.
There is a revered book in Marathi, called Pawapath. The book is 300 years old only. The languages is Marathi, but the script is symbolic. Shree Agarchandjee, his uncle, sent this book to various well-known scholars to read it and explain the meaning of it. But sadly .the book was returned by all. The message was loud and clear that they all failed to make out the head or tail of it. They failed to decipher the symbolic script. Then, he sent it from Bikaner to hts nephew, the charismatic Bhanwarlal in Calcutta to unveil the mystery of the script to read it, and to make out what it was all about.
As if, it were no job. Before long, Bhanwartaljee Nahata prepared an alphabet of it, and read the book from A to Z. Now the alphabet needed the seal of approval of the authorities, the philologists if it had been scientifically prepared. Shree Nahatajee showed that book to the famous philologist Dr. Suniti Kr.Chatterjee, and read it to him. Dr. Chatterjee was wonder-struck to find Bhanwarlaljee read that book with so much ease with the help of his framed Alphabet. He at once spoke out" Apni Chamatkar Korechen (You've done a miracle!)". Suniti Babu himself was a juggler of languages^and scripts. This spontaneous appreciation by a giant of philology was a clear commendation of the work and erudition of the self-made linguist, Shree Nahatajee.
The making of Shree Bhanwarlaljee Nahata, in itself is a saga of perseverance, dedication and unflagging energy. The purpose was clear; the goal was fixed and never was there any deviation. Every time the goal was achieved, the matters documented, printed and preserved. Finally the entire stock is a flocking point of eager aspirants, scholars and master minds of the time.
To note a few - he became one of the favourites of the eminent archaeologists Muni Jinvijayjee and Sri Kanti Sagarjee, Maha Pundit Rahul Sankritayan showered his blessings on him. The great orientologist and philologists Dr. Suniti Kr. Chatterjee and Sukumar Sen; historian and linguist Dr. Gauri Shankar Ojha came very close to Shree Nahata and became a constant source of inspiration to him. Dr. Moti Chand, the Director of Prince of Wales Museum was one of his close friends. Shree Bhanwarlaljee was also in close touch with the eminent historian Dr. Vasudeo Sharan Agarwal. It was also his fortune to be associated with the master minds of Hindi language and literature, Dr. Hazari Prasad Dwivedi and also with Dr. Dasharath Sharma. The list is long and varied. One must candidly admit that it was Shree Bhariwarlaljee's sincere obeisance at the alter of Goddess Saraswati that drew great scholars to him - a multifaceted personality.
In his life time, he in person, taught and guided Sadhus and Sadhvis (Monks & Nuns) of various orders, especially Jain. They learned from him religion, languages, scripts and the art of deciphering difficult and impossible looking edicts and manuscripts.
He himself successfully edited the popular Jain Magazine 'Kushal Nirdesh' for 22 years. Little wonder, then, that cultured by Shree Nahatajee, his sons and grandsons are behind the publications of four monthly magazines 'Gandhar Indrabhuti, Sthulibhadra Sandesh, Namo Titthas & Jineswar Vardhman'. It is to be prominently noted that for correct printing of his written works, editing or anything sent to press by him, he took upon himself the arduous task of reading the proofs and he did it with pleasure, for he never wanted any misprinting or error in spelling should spoil his research or efforts. Therefore, hardly could any incorrectness get into his thousand publications. It is indeed, a matter of great credit.
Shree Bhanwarlaljee has left an indelible imprint of his learning, scholarship and thirst for knowledge on the members of his family and relatives. As a result of it, they are running quite a number of institutions for people's enlightenment and guidance. For instance - Shree Abhay Jain Granthalaya, Bikaner; Shree Shankardan Nahata Kala Bhawan, Bikaner; Jain Bhawan, Palitana;, Kushal Bhawan, Bikaner; Mahabalipuram Tirth, New Delhi - to mention a few.
Shree Bhanwarlaljee presents a curious mix of scholarship and successful business. Such a mighty linguist, litterateur, scriptologist and researcher, was efficient, cool headed flourishing businessman. He was upto date in his business calculation, working hard for its successful thrive, too. He had a generous heart and a liberal mind. Rising above caste, community and creed, he worked for the suffering people when occasions demanded. He also took keen interest in the national freedom struggle. A man of religious thinking and plain living, he always put the uplift of the down trodden and the betterment of the Indian trade and industries.
His mantle has rightly fallen on his two sons, Paras Kumar and Padam Chand. Highly educated, born and brought up in the strict family tradition, they adhere hard to move along the path shown by the great father. They are real virtuosos - connoisseurs of art and culture and have kept the father's spirit alive in the familyand social life. They have kept the family business thriving. They have raised the family fortune high by ramifying their business into different fields. They are also proving great patrons of art and learning.
The moustached Bhanwarlaljee Nahata, standing Six feet high with well set turban on his bald head, in his kurta or Coat, buttoned to the neck exuded status and sobriety. His looks presented him as a man of quick deliberations, pure and honest. He was deeply religious and ever betrayed anger. He was ever-ready to serve the inquisitive. We say that in his lexicon, there was nothing like a word mood or moody. He was a level - headed man, who was highly respected by the members of his family and people outside home. He was a personality- worth emulation. He is a cherished memory - a man who did the works of several life times.
To Shree Nahatajee, life was no brief candle. He lived to be 91 - ripe, suffering from ailments yet mentally active. He left his physical sufferings unexpressed. If ever intervened by any member of the family or others, He would simply repeat a line by Shreemud Raj Chandra, "Atma Chhun, nitya chhun deh thi, bhinna chhun." He thus, used to try to show the mortality of the body and the difference of the immortal soul from it. When switched off, both are separated and the phys.ca: body is relieved of pain, and he was relieved of it on Feb 11, 2002. His death was characteristic of the man.
He left,behind him - a full thriving family, cooperating relatives and admiring people all around. Peace and prosperity kissed him at all steps of life. Such was Shree Bhanwarlaljee Nahata, a son of mother Goddess Laxmi and Goddess Saraswati, combined into one, a pride to the community and the nation.