Dossier on Gilgit manuscripts sent to UNESCO

New Delhi, May 03 (UNI) The government today said it had submitted a dossier on the Gilgit Manuscripts of Jammu and Kashmir to UNESCO for their inclusion in the UNESCO's World Register, 2006-07.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni said Gilgit Manuscripts, dating between the 5th and 6th century AD, are the oldest manuscripts available in the country.

These manuscripts were discovered by shepherds from Gilgit near Kashmir and are a collection of narratives and poems dealing mainly with Buddhism.

''A major portion of this manuscript corpus is in the National Archives of India and the rest is in the State Archives in Jammu and Kashmir,'' she informed the House.

Ms Soni said other Indian manuscripts already inscribed on the UNESCO's World Register are the ''Tamil Medical M

UNI