Importance of studying manuscripts stressed

Udupi, Feb 28 (UNI) Eminent Sanskrit scholar and writer Bannanje Govindacharya today stressed the importance of studying manuscripts and and creating awareness among the youths.

Inaugurating a one-day campaign here, he said several rare and valuable palm leaf manuscripts were destroyed either due to ignorance or not allowing other interested persons to know about then.

He said there were still thousands of unused rare and valuable manuscripts with several religious institutions and individuals in the three coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttar Kannada.

Various mutts in Udupi had a collection of over 500 to 600 manuscripts, which had been destroyed due to negligence or ignorance, he said.

Referring to the status of Kannada in Karnataka, Mr Govindacharya deplored that Kannada had now become a 'dying language' due to the influence of English language.

He also stressed that there was an urgent need for total change in our present educational system which was totally lacking in reflecting our culture.

Prof B S Krishaiah, Head, Manuscript Department, National Institute of Prakrit Studies and Research (NIPSR), Shravanabelagola, said the institute had a collection of over 6,000 manuscripts.

The institute had been appointed as the Nodal agency by Oriental Research Institute (ORI), Mysore, for the collection of all available Jain manuscripts in seven districts in the state, he said.

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