When we hear the word manuscript, it conjures an image of old, rustic and brittle pages with some texts written on it that we can’t read or understand. Manuscripts are a treasure trove of Bharatiya knowledge system, yet we are unaware about its importance and value. An initiative named “National Manuscript Mission” was established in 2003 under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India.
Preserving Bharat’s literary Heritage
- 57 Manuscript Resource Centres (MRC-s) across the country, 31 working currently have been set up
- 33 Manuscript Partner Centres (MPC-s) have come up
- 44.07 lakhs Manuscripts have been documented
- A web-based National Database of Manuscripts with information on 3.4 million manuscripts has been formed
- Broad-based information on manuscripts through the National Survey in 18 States of India and eight States have been covered through the Post Survey
- 50 Manuscript Conservation Centres (MCC-s) across the country, 30 working currently, have been set up
- Standards on Storage and on Preventive Conservation of Manuscripts have been laid
- Capacity–building in conservation through training workshops: 218 preventive conservation, 28 curative conservation completed and 6870 manpower have been trained
- Broad–based preventive conservation through more than 200 Manuscript Conservation Partner Centres (MCPC-s)
- The Standards and Benchmarks on Digitisation of Manuscripts revived for 3rd phase of Ditisation and published on the website
Unfortunately, under the UPA regime, for ten years the initiative faced neglect and negation resulting in discrepancies. After 2015, the Mission received new impetus with a participatory approach Indeed, the National Mission for Manuscripts holds a distinctive position within its sphere of influence. This initiative endeavours to uncover and safeguard India’s immense reservoir of manuscripts, constituting an unparalleled repository of cultural and intellectual heritage. With a staggering estimation of around ten million manuscripts, arguably the largest assortment globally, they include an extensive range of topics, textures, linguistic nuances, scripts, calligraphic expressions, illuminations, and illustrations. The National Mission for Manuscripts encompasses identification, documentation, preservation, and facilitation of access to India’s diverse manuscript heritage. This national initiative plays a crucial part in addressing the pressing contemporary need to retrieve and preserve the priceless information contained in these manuscripts, many of which languish in perilous circumstances.
Manuscript Centres Set Up Nationwide
At present, about 33 Manuscript Partner Centres (MPCs) and 57 Manuscript Resource Centres (MRCs) have been built nationwide as part of the project. An amazing collection of more than 44.07 lakh manuscripts are being systematically documented with the main objective of guaranteeing their long-term preservation and accessibility. Alongside development of a user-friendly, online database of manuscripts is taking place with help of surveys that played a pivotal role in identifying manuscript repositories, ensuring that no repository goes unnoticed in this project. This database will be a valuable resource for both academics and enthusiasts, as it will contain information about 3.4 million manuscripts. They have also set up more than 50 Manuscripts Conservation Centre (MCCs) with around 30 completely operational at present. Through more than 218 preventive conservation, 28 curative conservation training workshops, around 6,870 people have been trained. Digitisation of these manuscripts will take place in five phases. The first four phases of the digitisation of manuscripts project have been completed, and the fifth phase is currently underway and a total of 3.3 lakhs manuscripts (3.3 crore pages) have been digitised so far. NMM has built up manuscript studies skills through short-term courses, advanced courses, and projects for students. These efforts have created a resource pool of manpower in manuscriptology and paleography. On the publication front, the mission has initiated a programme for publishing around 55 unpublished manuscripts. Also they periodically conduct outreach programs to spread awareness and importance about preserving these manuscripts.
This national initiative plays a crucial part in addressing the pressing contemporary need to retrieve and preserve the priceless information contained in these manuscripts, many of which languish in perilous circumstances
Post-preservation by the National Manuscripts Mission (NMM), a curriculum must be devised to empower youth for researching manuscript content. This curriculum demands a structured methodology enabling students to comprehend, interpret, and safeguard these insights while bridging historical value with contemporary relevance. This involves a structured approach to explore diverse fields like agriculture, medicine, and economy, etc within these manuscripts. Adequate funding is essential to create effective educational modules, specialised training, and modern tools. Collaboration among academic institutions, cultural organisations, and experts is crucial for better understanding. “This will not only promote students to engage with historical texts but also contributes to their preservation and modern significance. By integrating practical applications, it forges a dynamic connection between the past and the future”, said Dr Anirban Dash, Director NMM
