Preserving Vedic manucripts for the future

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 3

City-based manuscript collector Rajnish Khosla has preserved rare Vedic scripts with the help of the Himachal State Museum, Shimla, and Manuscript Conservation Centre. These are said to be centuries old-rare Vedic documents.

Khosla, who has been collecting rare scripts for the last two decades, had to seek help of the experts in Shimla in order to conserve the Vedic scripts. These scripts are written on natural paper made of various types of leaves. Mostly written in Sanskrit language the scripts include, mention of ‘Mahabharata’ era, the medical practices and various chants.

“These scripts need to be protected as they were getting withered away. At present, these manuscripts are duly framed and conserved in cut mount vacuum technique with the acid-free handmade Japanese paper,” says Khosla. The 52-years is planning to donate them to Vaishno Devi Shrine board to be displayed at Vaishno Devi Shrine so that people can see the heritage. “Keeping it before public will add to general awareness about manuscripts in our ancient culture and it’s richness, remarks Khosla. There are in total 22 frames and each one has two manuscripts placed one above the other, “he adds.

Khosla, who has been adding to his ancestral collection, feels that there is a need that such scripts are maintained as they bridge the gap between present and past. He says, “Basically, my father has been collecting all such items from a young age. I feel such things provide a perspective towards future.”