Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Survey identifies lakhs of palm leaf manuscripts all over the State

Staff Reporter

Information embedded in them will be compiled on microfilm

TREASURY OF INFORMATION: Some palm leaf manuscripts, identified during a recent statewide survey, being examined at a library in Chennai on Saturday. — Photo : M. Vedhan

CHENNAI: A survey to identify repositories of palm leaf manuscripts in Tamil Nadu, eventually leading to compilation of the information available in them, was carried out recently.

A few thousand volunteers of the National Service Scheme in several universities were deployed for the survey, which was conducted by the National Mission for Manuscripts in association with the State Government. Tamil Nadu was the second State after Karnataka, where such a survey was conducted.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, in a message given before the launch of the survey, appealed to the public, establishments and educationists possessing valuable palm leaf manuscripts to extend their cooperation. She said manuscripts over 75 years old, written on paper, palm leaf or any other material, pertaining to literature, arts, science and manuscripts of historical importance, were welcome.

Following the survey, between February 1 and 5, the Department of Tamil Development, Culture and Religious Endowments was sending a report to the Mission, according to an official involved in the process. Minister for Education and Commercial Taxes C.Ve. Shanmugam launched the project on February 1.

Estimating the number of manuscripts identified to be in lakhs, he said the Mission would in turn instruct the Manuscript Resource Centre in the State to compile the information available on the manuscript on microfilm. The reason for creating such a database was to preserve the information and pass it to future generations.

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