A two-day workshop on the theme, “Heritage of Ancient Writing Traditions in the Western Himalaya—Conservation of Scripts and Manuscripts of Himachal Pradesh”, was inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) here on Tuesday, with experts stressing the need to conserve scripts and manuscripts.
The inaugural session commenced with the inauguration of an exhibition of manuscripts, offering a rare glimpse into the ancient writing traditions.
The workshop will explore various aspects related to ancient scripts and manuscripts, including their conservation, reading traditions, digitisation, and documentation.
According to an IIAS communique, the objective of the workshop is to promote the study and preservation of manuscript traditions and scripts prevalent in the Western Himalayan region, particularly in Himachal Pradesh, such as Pabuchi, Tankri, Pandavani, and Chandvani, which evolved from the Sharada script. These manuscripts contain valuable material on the Indian knowledge tradition, particularly the Vedas, Puranas, Jyotisha, and Ayurveda, and are considered highly significant for research.
Workshop coordinator Prof Om Prakash Sharma delivered the welcome address and introduced the theme, highlighting the objectives and relevance of the workshop, emphasising, “The manuscripts preserved in the Himalayan region constitute an invaluable heritage of the Indian knowledge system and stressed the need for their conservation.”
Delivering the keynote address, National Fellow Prof RC Sinha elaborated on the significance of manuscripts, their preservation, and various dimensions of the study of ancient writing traditions.
In his address, chief guest Prof Himanshu Kumar Chaturvedi said, “Manuscripts are not merely historical documents but living expressions of India’s intellectual tradition.”
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He underscored the importance of their conservation, digitisation, and scientific study, and emphasised the need for coordinated institutional efforts in this direction. He further affirmed that IIAS remains committed to supporting this noble and creative endeavour.
In his presidential address, Prof Devdutt Sharma highlighted the importance of studying ancient scripts for a deeper understanding of Indian history and culture, and encouraged young researchers to engage in this field. He also presented various aspects related to the subject engagingly and insightfully.
