The Hindu : New Delhi News : Focus on preserving `memory of the world'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 31, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Focus on preserving `memory of the world'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 30. Keeping alive the ancient wisdom of the past, the National Mission for Manuscripts is celebrating its second anniversary with preserving the "memory of the world". Launched to save the country's valuable written heritage that began rapidly disappearing in 2003, the Mission will reach out to people next week.

Filling in the "gap" that is needed to protect manuscripts -- the public, the Mission is organising a lecture series, a seminar on oral traditions and indigenous methods to conserve the written texts as well as mounting an exhibition showcasing the "desi" ways of preservation. While India is believed to have the largest repository of manuscripts in the world in different languages, these written texts are very vulnerable as many of them are still kept in homes sometimes locked up in trunks -- forgotten. And the celebration next week is an attempt to change the situation.

Kicking off the week with a lecture series titled "Tatvabodha" starting this Monday, the Mission has brought together experts to talk about the knowledge systems found in manuscripts. The topics covered in this series range from Buddhists manuscripts in modern day to Tamil manuscripts and the Bhakti movement as well as medicinal manuscripts and Persian texts. Besides spreading awareness about the importance of these written texts, the Mission is also involved with decoding the wisdom as well as preserving them.

However, with the advent of new methods, the old traditional methods of preservation have been lost. And to keep alive traditional ways of preservation as well as wisdom, the Mission has organised a three-day seminar titled "Samrakshika" that focuses on indigenous methods to conserve.

Bringing together a group of people who can share their experiences and ideas, then formulate a plan of action, the seminar will draw up recommendations for research, application and publications related to indigenous methods. The Mission has also put together an exhibition that showcases these techniques. The Mission will bring out an introductory compilation of indigenous materials and techniques of conservation of manuscripts.

An ambitious five-year project, the Mission seeks not only identify, catalogue and preserve India's manuscripts, but also make it accessible for researchers and scholars.

An attempt to make available the knowledge of ancient scripts through modern technology, the Mission is also computerising the manuscripts.

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