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VMPL
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 8: Students of Neerja Modi School from Grades VIII and XI engaged with Indias rich manuscript heritage, stepping into a world that existed long before screens, computers and digital archives, as they explored centuries-old historical knowledge amid an accelerating national initiative dedicated to preserving and promoting Indias manuscript heritage. At the Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur, they attended the Workshop on National Digitization Drive, organized by the Gyan Bharatam Mission, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. At the exhibition, themed "Preserving India's Manuscript Heritage through Digitization", students did more than read about history: they saw the very records through which generations of Indians preserved knowledge. They explored manuscripts and references spanning the Ramayana, Ayurveda, Kalpasutra and Hanuman Yantra, offering glimpses into India's literary, medical, spiritual and cultural traditions. The exhibition's broader significance was contextualized through an interactive session with key officials of the Mission. Dr. Simerjit Kaur (Head Research, Publication, & Outreach) addressed the imperatives of documenting, preserving and democratizing access to this heritage. Explaining the two kinds of sources through which the past is studied, she noted that manuscripts fall under literary sources. She explained the meaning of the English term "manuscript" and its Indian equivalent, pulipi, from pu (pale) and lipi (script). Pointing to the original manuscripts on display, she showed why they are called pulipi: the name refers to a script (lipi) written on pale-coloured materials. She also introduced manuscripts in different materials and forms, including palm leaf, paper, scrolls, illustrated manuscripts and copper plates. Highlighting the scientific knowledge preserved in manuscripts, she spoke about the Sulba Sutras, which contain the geometric principle known today as the Pythagoras theorem, and about Bhugola. She then explained what a script is and introduced the Ashokan inscriptions as the earliest clearly evident writing in India, inscribed in the Brahmi script in Prakrit and Pali. Tracing the evolution of Brahmi into modern Devanagari, she highlighted that it is the mother script not only of most Indian scripts but also of many scripts beyond India, such as Tibetan and Sinhalese. Students were also introduced to other Indian scripts and Western writing traditions, discovering how a script's form can reveal something about the people who created it. Dr. Kaur then showed sample models of the Brahmi script and invited students to write their names in Brahmi using clay moulds, a hands-on activity that brought the ancient script to life. Dr. Kirti Shrivastav (Head Conservation) explained the importance of careful handling and conservation, shared techniques of preservation and introduced various traditional materials. Her session helped students understand that safeguarding manuscripts begins with the simple act of treating these fragile materials with care and respect. Students were able to connect the sources of history, manuscripts and the journey of scripts with what they study in history, mathematics, science and other subjects. The experience also raised a question that extends beyond the exhibition hall: what happens to knowledge if a generation stops recognizing its value? India's manuscripts carry ideas about literature, languages, medicine, philosophy, science, spirituality and traditional practices, accumulated across centuries. Yet these fragile records are vulnerable to time, damage and neglect. Digitization offers one answer, safeguarding knowledge once confined to physical pages and making it accessible to researchers, students and generations to come. That intersection of tradition and technology was perhaps the most powerful lesson for NMS students: preserving the past does not mean keeping it frozen. By the end of the visit, unfamiliar scripts and centuries-old manuscripts had become links in a much longer story, one that began with earlier generations, has reached today's students, and now depends on what the next generation chooses to preserve. India's heritage can only become the foundation for tomorrow when its young people first recognize, read, interpret, and apply in life what they have inherited. Inspired by this journey, Mitakshi, representative of Neerja Modi School, Rajasthan, interacted with Missions Project Director, Prof. Anirban Dash, she requested that the Mission conduct such exhibitions and walkthroughs for schools and introduce this knowledge into school curricula. Prof. Dash responded that a school drive would be launched soon. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
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