TTD to digitalise manuscripts

TIRUPATI: With an aim to collect, preserve and digitalise manuscripts, which are vital sources of history, and to pass on the knowledge to future generations, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has decided to establish an exclusive ‘Sri Venkateshwara Manuscripts Project’.

Its main objective is to collect manuscripts available from different sources and to preserve them in a common building with special specifications so as to make them available under one roof. Further, the project works on the digitalisation of collected manuscripts by segregating them subject-wise.

The collected material will also be edited, published and translated into different languages, both Indian and foreign.

“Indian manuscripts are the richest collection of written documents, texts and scripts which provide information about the existence of different cultures and civilisations and emphasise the importance of their survival. Therefore, the TTD felt that there was a dire need to preserve manuscripts in order to protect knowledge pertaining to different physical and spiritual sciences,” said a senior TTD official associated with the project.

According to reports, about 37,219 manuscripts are currently available at different institutions that are associated with TTD. While the Oriental Research Institute under the Sri Venkateswara University has nearly 30,000 manuscripts, the National Sanskrit University has 5,000 and the SV Vedic University has 2,219 manuscripts.

In addition to these, the temple body also planned to collect manuscripts, irrespective of substance, language, spirit and subject from different sources wherever available. TTD will construct a building to preserve the collected manuscripts, and every leaf of every single manuscript will be digitized. “To take forward the project, the TTD board has resolved to appoint an experienced special officer to the project. We have authorised the TTD executive officer to constitute an advisory committee. The board will send the proposal to the government in order to get funds,” the official said.