Digitisation of ancient palm leaf manuscripts underway at Karnataka University

Dharwad: As the world embraces the digital age, where everything is just a click away, the invaluable knowledge stored in ancient palm leaf manuscripts is quietly being digitized at Karnataka University, Dharwad.

These manuscripts, which have been preserved for centuries, are now being transformed into digital formats to prevent the loss of precious historical and literary works.At the Kannada Studies Department of the university, a major initiative is underway to preserve these manuscripts. Staff members are carefully unrolling each palm leaf, cleaning it with lemon grass oil, and scanning the texts for future generations.

The ongoing effort aims to digitize over seven lakh palm leaves, some of which date back to the 12th century. The university’s Kannada Studies Chair has been safeguarding palm manuscripts for the last 75 years, with over 7,000 manuscripts stored in its collection. These manuscripts contain invaluable writings in a variety of subjects such as Vachana literature, Jain literature, Brahmanical texts, Puranas, ancient poetry, Ayurveda, inscriptions, prophecies, logic, and more.

Due to the fragile nature of these materials, many of the palm leaves are in a deteriorating condition, making it essential to digitize them before they are lost to time. The process of digitizing the palm manuscripts requires utmost care. The leaves are first gently cleaned with a soft cloth and lemon grass oil, which brings out the handwritten text more clearly. After this, the manuscripts are scanned and preserved in digital format.

These manuscripts span centuries of knowledge, from the 12th century to the present day. Not only are they of historical and academic importance, but they also contain the wisdom of past saints and scholars, offering insight into various fields of knowledge.

Volunteers and scholars unite for the cause

In addition to the university’s staff, several Sharana followers, Shivayoga practitioners, and volunteers have been coming forward to assist in the digitization process, contributing their time and efforts to this noble cause.Prominent scholars like Dr. R.C. Hiremath, Dr. M.M. Kalaburagi, and Dr. Veeranna Rajoor, along with their students, have been involved in the collection and preservation of these manuscripts.

For the past three years, they have been advocating for the digitization of these works, and this year, they finally received approval along with funding for the project.

Future plans

Apart from a museum and translation along with the digitization, there are also plans to translate these manuscripts into Modern Kannada for accessibility to a wider audience. A museum is also being planned to display these texts, ensuring that future generations can engage with the rich literary heritage of Karnataka. The entire project is being carried out with the assistance of the E-Literature Documentation and Research Centre from Bengaluru, who are providing their services free of charge.

According to Prof. Krishna Nayak, the head of the Kannada Studies Department, this digitization work will continue for the next eight months, ensuring the preservation of this valuable literary treasure.A Noble Effort to Preserve Ancient WisdomIn an age where much of our history is at risk of being lost due to neglect, the initiative at Karnataka University to digitize ancient palm leaf manuscripts is an extraordinary effort to preserve the invaluable knowledge passed down through generations. This is not just an academic exercise; it’s a mission to safeguard the wisdom of the past for the future, ensuring that it is accessible and not forgotten.

This effort is truly praiseworthy and deserving of recognition.