The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Facelift for Sarasvati Mahal Library

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Facelift for Sarasvati Mahal Library

Special Correspondent

Entrance renovated at a cost of Rs. 16 lakh with colourful arches

— Photo: M. Srinath

Renewed look: A view of the new entrance in Saraswati Mahal Library in Thanjavur.

THANJAVUR: The Sarasvati Mahal Library, one of the biggest manuscript libraries in the whole of Asia, here is getting a facelift.

Entrance has been renovated at a cost of Rs.16 lakh with colourful arches, paintings and an idol of Goddess Sarasvati at the centre. According to Sami Sivagnanam, Administrative Officer of the library, the pathway leading from the entrance will also be renovated and adorned with paintings on both sides.

Scanners for digitisation of manuscripts and books have arrived and a separate room with air condition for digitising books and manuscripts is being readied at the library. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam has taken up the digitisation at its expense. The digitisation is likely to start from next month. There are nearly 50,000 manuscripts and 4,000 books collected by Raja Serfoji II, Maratta King, who was the architect of the library. The books are in ten languages.

The library has now purchased Rs.5 lakh worth of new books. It has a section for helping IAS aspirants. They can take the book from here and read during library hours. The IAS section contains encyclopaedias, books on history, science and social science.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section