The Wellcome Collection in London has announced plans to return 2,000 Jain manuscripts to the Jain community, but with an interesting twist. Instead of sending them back to their historical origin in Pakistan or India, they will be housed at the University of Birmingham’s Dharmanath Network in Jain Studies. This network, established in 2023 and fully funded by UK, US and Indian Jains, aims to maximise community access and deepen research opportunities.

The collection, ranging from the 15th to the 19th centuries, is invaluable not just for scholars but also for public engagement. It includes a 16th-century copy of the Kalpasutra, along with documents critiquing British rule in India. The manuscripts, mostly catalogued since the early 2000s, are believed to be the largest outside South Asia.

The transfer, after years of dialogue between the Wellcome Collection and the Institute of Jainology, symbolises a collaborative approach. Mehool Sanghrajka, managing trustee of the Institute of Jainology, sees it as a “brave decision” that could serve as a model for other communities, noting that many documents likely wouldn’t have survived post-independence turmoil.

Henry Wellcome purchased most of these manuscripts in 1919 from a single temple near the Pakistan border. Adjusted for inflation, he paid a mere £400 for them. This transfer marks a significant step towards reconciling past acquisitions with current ethical standards and community needs.