It was fortunate for Stein that a succession of Residents in Kashmir had equally supported this scientific inquiry into the Sanskrit treasure of Maharaja’s library. These included Colonel Parrey. S. Nisbet who recommended initially the commencement of work followed by Colonel D.W.K Barr and Mr. W. Prideaux who assured its progress and completion. Stein was equally profuse in acknowledging help of Rai Bahadur Pandit Suraj Koul, then Revenue Member of the State Council, as he recorded, “the many proofs of kind interest he accorded to me will remain in my grateful recollection, and I thank for much help which his position in charge of Temple Foundation enabled him to offer me”.

The history of the collection of manuscripts in the Temple Library owe their origin to the Late Maharaja Ranbir Singh.

Soon after his accession to the throne in the year 1857, Maharaja Ranbir Singh consecrated a shrine to the worship of Rama or Raghunatha from whom, according to Dogra tradition, the house of Jammu Rajas claim descent. By the pious zeal of the Maharaja this shrine gradually became centre of extensive religious establishment. Maharaja provided rich endowments for the founding and maintenance of such religious institutions as the Dharma Sastras recommended to be established in connection with Temple buildings.

Among these institutions a Pathshala or college and library of Sanskrit works were foremost objects of the Maharaja’s care. According to Stein, “the beginning was made by Pandit Asananda, who by the order of the Maharaja is reported to have spent Rupees fifteen thousand in procuring manuscripts”.

The rich stores of Sanskrit literature processed by the Pandits of Kashmir had at an early date attracted the Maharaja’s attention. Extensive operations were begun about 1861, under his orders by Pandit Rajakaka, son of Pandit Balbhadra, the representative of distinguished Pandit family of Srinagar for the purpose of obtaining copies of all Kashmir Sanskrit works. In most of these works, the purchase of original Kashmir manuscripts could have been effected with ease but as these originals on account of Sharada characters would practically seal access to Jammu scholars, preference was naturally given to new Devanagari transcripts. Assisted by well known Kashmiri scholars, such as Pandit Balbhadra, Pandit Sahibram, Pandit Krishna Bhatta and others, Pandit Rajakaka had obtained a fairly representative collection of works belonging to the Kavya, Alamkara, Saiva and Dharma literature of Kashmir when he died in 1864. The task was further taken up by Pandit Jagdhara who succeeded with the help of Pandit Dayaram, Pandit Sukharama and other Pandits of Srinagar in completing the collection which now contained probably a large number of Kashmiri texts than any other single library in or outside valley. However, many of these copies shared the faults attached to all recent Devanagari transcripts from Sharada originals. According to Stein, “the small collection of twelve well preserved birch bark codices written in Sharada were added to library mainly as an object of curiosity”. These included Kadambari of Bana, Raghuvanshamam of Kaviraja, Pritiyabhijinasutra Vimarshini, Pritiyabhijanartha Sanghadhikara, Kasikavriti of Vamana Jayadhatha and Mrityajataka by Varhamira.

		List of birch bark manuscripts in the Raghunath Temple Library, jammu. (in Aurel Stein's hand)