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Breaking the taboo - ancient manuscripts come to light
Shahzada Irfan has written this piece on the discovery of a hidden treasure at the Punjab University. Ancient Sanskrit manuscripts have finally come under researchers’ scrutiny. As we come closer to 60 years of partition and independence, this is a welcome development. Irfan writes:
A rich treasure of knowledge — an invaluable collection of 9,075 Sanskrit manuscripts on various branches and disciplines of Sanskrit literature — is lying unexplored in Punjab University (PU) library in Lahore since partition. Though they have been preserved properly for decades, hardly any effort was made in the past to study the contents of these manuscripts in detail. Insiders say this indifference was because that the state was least interested in seeking expertise of Sanskrit scholars in
India and sharing even an iota of knowledge with them..
Full article here
August 13th, 2007 at 7:50 am
Why use the term “Breaking the taboo” ?
August 13th, 2007 at 8:18 am
Ah, the use of taboo:)is slightly exaggerated but it refers to certain areas that state was shy of engaging with..
this is a great development for two reasons: (i) that the Hindi department at the University will be re-invigorated (hopefully)with increased research on these manuscripts; and secondly, (ii) that the manuscripts have been brought into public domain and deemed as important parts of our heritage and shared past..
August 13th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
sigh! i hope so buddy, otherwise, may be some mullah will burn them to save their ‘islam’, which is always in danger.