Kochi: A high school in Chittur, Palakkad, has retrieved Sanskrit manuscripts written in the 18th century and books printed in the late 19th century. The Patasala Sanskrit High School found these rare books in its century-old Sanskrit library.
The school was established in 1893 as a Vedasastra Patasala and by 1920 it had grown into a prestigious centre of Sanskrit learning in South India. After the closure of the Vedasastra Patasala, the books were shelved and forgotten. But the members of the faculty have now launched steps to preserve these books.
According to Ms T Rema, Headmistress, the school plans to preserve the books either digitally or in archival format. The books include ancient manuscripts of Upanishads, Vastu, Sanskrit works on human anatomy, lexicons like Amarakosa, Mahabarata word index and many others.
Prof C.S. Radhakrishnan, Head of the Department of Sanskrit, Pondicherry University, who visited the school recently as part of the statewide Sanskrit day celebrations has initiated steps to seek help from the National Mission for Manuscripts in Delhi for preservation of the books.
Mr P.R. Jayaseelan, a teacher of the school, said that these ancient books should be archived to preserve the rich culture of Kerala society. With a view to focus the attention of all Sanskrit lovers, teachers, students and the public, an exhibition of very rare Sanskrit books has been arranged at the school. The books include Upanishads, Vedangas, Itihasas, Puranas, Medicine, Astronomy and Astrology, Vastu, Kavya Nadakas and Manuscriptology.
According to C.S. Radhakrishnan who was an Indian delegate to the 2012 world Sanskrit conference held at Edinburgh, Scotland, there was an urgent need to preserve them, so that the future generation would be benefited.
