Rare manuscripts to be preserved using Japanese technology: INTACH
PRAYAGRAJ: Rare manuscripts at the Bharti Bhawan Pustakalaya (library) here will be preserved in coordination with Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). Many of the manuscripts, which are several hundred years old and in shabby condition, would be preserved using the Japanese technology, said a INTACH member.
A team of INTACH authorities and members recently visited Bharti Bhawan Library located in densely populated area of Loknath and inspected the manuscripts that required immediate attention.
Librarian at Bharti Bhawan Pustakalaya, Swatantra Pandey said that the library had a rich collection of 1,145 manuscripts, many of which are in Sanskrit and Brahmi languages. A manuscript of ‘Skandpuran’ written on ‘tadpatra’ is around 800 years old while a hand written ‘panchang’ was donated to the library in 1780. Among the 1,145 manuscripts, 250 are complete while some pages of others have gone missing or destroyed, he said. Until 2013, the library has only 15 manuscripts and during a search at the library a vast collection was found lying unattended in corners of the building. The manuscripts were collected and were carefully kept. However, due to lack of budget they are still in poor condition and need attention.
“All pleas to the authorities concerned to preserve them have fallen on deaf years for the past many years,” Pandey added.
He further said that digitilisation of many old and rare books and magazines was carried out some years back with the help of IIT. “If digitilisation of manuscripts is done, it will also be a welcome step,” he said.
INTACH programme coordinator Pallavi Chandel said the team has surveyed the library and inspected the manuscripts which are in urgent need of attention. With the available budget, INTACH will soon take steps to preserve the manuscripts and other rare books at the library.
A member of INTACH, Vaibhav Mani said that manuscripts are on ‘tadpatra’ and ‘bhojpatra’ which start decomposing after a certain period of time. “Japanese technology will be used in which the manuscripts will be kept in tissue paper and wheat-based gluten free adhesive will be applied for their preservation. First attention will be given to manuscripts which are in poor state,” he added.