Question

“India even now possesses a wealth of manuscripts running into many millions.” Comment on this statement by providing details about preserving of manuscripts.

Hint:

Manuscripts are time capsules—preserving India's deep contributions to global knowledge.

Answer 1

India has a manuscript tradition spanning more than 2,000 years. These manuscripts are written in various scripts and languages like Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Pali, Prakrit, and Persian, and cover subjects such as philosophy, grammar, astronomy, medicine, architecture, and rituals.
Most manuscripts are preserved on:
Palm leaves and birch bark (bhūrjapatra): These were prepared with herbal oils and inscribed with styluses.
Paper: Adopted later, often decorated with gold ink or intricate margins.
Preservation Efforts:

National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM): Catalogs, conserves, and digitizes rare manuscripts across India.
Institutions like: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Sarasvati Mahal Library, and Asiatic Society hold significant collections.
Digitization: Modern efforts include scanning, transcription, and online archiving of fragile documents.
Despite climate damage and historical loss, India still holds over five million manuscripts—the largest such collection globally.