Ayodhya’s museum all set to get 200-year-old Ramayan manuscript | Lucknow News

Lucknow: The Antarrashtriya Ram Katha Sangrahalaya in Ayodhya is set to receive an over 200-year-old manuscript of the Ramcharitmanas written in Nagari script.To preserve the timeless legacy of the Ramayan for future generations, the museum had recently appealed to people to donate rare manuscripts of Ramayan composed in Sanskrit and other Indian languages.In reply, an Ayodhya resident has contacted the museum to share a two centuries’ old Nagari manuscript of the Ramcharitmanas. Museum director Sanjib Kumar Singh told TOI: “The script, which evolved from Nagari to Devanagari, shows differences in letter formation compared to modern writing, with older letters having open bases and attached vowel marks. Nagari gradually evolved into Devanagari… Today, letters are formed differently, while the old script had open bases with attached vowel marks. On this basis, I can say that this manuscript could be about 200 years old.”“Likewise, several people in Gujarat, Assam and Rajasthan have shown interest in sharing the rare manuscripts with us. People from the Tai tribe near Myanmar have also approached us for donating the rare Ramayan manuscript,” he added.Singh said that the effort is to establish a national repository of Ramayan manuscripts.”In this context, individual scholars, traditional families, ashrams, mutts, libraries, universities, govt institutions, trusts and private collectors across the nation were invited to donate rare manuscripts of Ramayan composed in Sanskrit and other Indian languages.”“The manuscripts may include, apart from Valmiki Ramayan, regional recensions and versions, commentaries and ancillary texts and illustrated manuscripts produced on palm leaf or paper. We’ve secured approval to establish a conservation centre at the International Ram Katha Museum, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra. So, contribute original, authentic manuscripts for preservation, display, and research to safeguard our cultural heritage,” Singh said.A panel has been formed comprising vice-chancellor of Central Sanskrit University, former head of dept of manuscript, Satyavrat Tripathi, director of the National Manuscript Mission to access all the manuscripts.The museum, which was transferred to Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra days after Ram Lalla idol’s consecration ceremony, boasts an incredible collection of paintings, photographs, and artefacts that take you on a ride through Lord Ram’s life. It’s like stepping into the Ramayan itself, with the exhibits showcasing various facets of his life and legacy. Definitely a must-visit for anyone interested in the epic.