BHUBANESWAR: In this age of technology, the rare palm leaf manuscripts are like remnants of history. While Orissa is a storehouse of palm leaf manuscripts, the State Museum is being considered as the largest repository in the world with around 50,000 manuscripts.These are categorised in 27 sections such as Vedas, lexicons, mathematics and art. There are manuscripts on three types of Orissan style of temple architecture __ Pidha, Rekha and Khakara.Researchers believe that the temple architects might have used these manuscripts as references before translating the designs on stones.Besides, 13th century garland-shaped manuscripts containing “Geeta Govinda” and “Bhagvad Gita” in 1,440 tiny folios of about 0.5 cm radius leaf sheets are classics.These manuscripts were recovered from Ganjam.Other rare palm leaf manuscripts include Chikitsha Majari of 110 folios, an ancient text of medical science, a bamboo leaf manuscript of “Bhagvad Gita” of 25 folios, an ivory manuscript of seven folios containing “Geeta Govinda,” and a rare palm leaf manuscript “Kasikabriti” with 111 folios. A manuscript called Usha Abhilash, which was displayed at the Frankfurt Book Fair, gives a detailed account of Orissa’s miniature paintings.“Preserving these manuscripts is not easy,” said Bhagyalipi Malla, curator, Manuscripts in State Museum.The normal shelf life of a palm-leaf manuscript is around 500 years. Upon being conserved, its life could be prolonged for another century, Malla said.In this regard, a five-day national preventive workshop on manuscript conservation is being organised by the State Museum in association with National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) here.The workshop, which began on Sunday, aims at training conservators on methodology for conservation, storage and treatment of palm leaf manuscripts.Researchers from Amarkantak (Madhya Pradesh), Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum of Pune, Rajasthan, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Utkal universities, INTACH and Aitiha, an organisation working for the preservation of heritage, have joined the workshop.Professionals from museums, libraries and archives of different parts of the country are attending.Speaking at the inaugural function, Director of NMM Dipti Tripathy emphasised on the need for conservation of palm leaf manuscripts and assured Central Government support for their preservation.The workshop was inaugurated by Culture and Tourism Minister Prafulla Samal and MP Prasanna Patasani.
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