In a significant move to preserve a priceless piece of India's medical heritage, Berhampur University (BU) has reached out to the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) in New Delhi. The university has formally requested the premier council's expertise for the digitisation and scientific cataloguing of a rare collection of palm leaf manuscripts on Ayurveda.
A Treasure Trove of Traditional Wisdom
The manuscripts are housed within the university's South Odisha Cultural Study Centre (SOCSC). This centre safeguards a rich and rare collection of over 2,000 palm leaf manuscripts, which contain invaluable traditional knowledge, particularly in the field of Ayurveda. Many of these texts, including several pictorial manuscripts, date back to the early-19th century.
BU Vice-Chancellor Geetanjali Dash took the initiative by writing a letter to CCRAS Director-General Rabinarayan Acharya on Friday. In her communication, she expressed hope that the central institute would take the request seriously to help preserve this rare treasure trove. Dash assured that the university would provide all necessary logistic support to any team of experts deputed by the CCRAS for this crucial project.
Notable Manuscripts in the Collection
The collection at SOCSC is not just vast but also immensely significant. It includes renowned texts that are cornerstones of indigenous medical wisdom. Among the prominent palm leaf manuscripts preserved are:
- Baidya Panchamruta
- Ayurveda Satwa
- Baidya Shastra
- Padmini Chikitsa
- Abinaba Chintamani
- Baidya Jeevan
- Ayurveda Sarasangraha
- Gochikitsa
- Bala Chikitsa
- Loukika Ayusadha
According to VC Dash, these texts represent an extraordinary repository of indigenous medical wisdom. They vividly reflect the rich medical heritage of southern Odisha and its surrounding regions.
Urgent Need for Preservation and Access
Highlighting the critical nature of the project, Vice-Chancellor Dash stated that the request was made considering the historical, cultural, and scientific importance of the manuscripts and the urgent need for their preservation. A previous attempt by the university in 2019 to reproduce these manuscripts on paper and digitise them proved futile due to a severe funds crunch.
"Digitising and scientifically cataloguing the palm leaf of this treasure trove will not only ensure its long-term preservation but also make this precious knowledge accessible to scholars, researchers, and also future generations," Dash emphasised in her letter.
The coordinator of the centre, Sameer Bhoi, provided context on the collection's origins. He mentioned that these precious manuscripts were collected from various places across the southern Odisha districts over the last five decades. The SOCSC itself operates under the university's post-graduation department of Odia.
This collaboration between Berhampur University and the CCRAS, if realised, stands to create a lasting digital archive. It would protect the fragile physical manuscripts from further deterioration while unlocking their wisdom for global research and study, ensuring that this ancient knowledge continues to enlighten the modern world.
