Kerala Opens The World's First Palm-Leaf Manuscript Museum

The facility, which bills itself as the first palm leaf manuscript museum in the world, is mainly a collection of unusual artefacts that relate to the political, social, and economic life of Travancore from 650 AD to the end of the 19th century. Additionally, it has records for the areas of Malabar, to the north, and Kochi, in the heart of the state. The museum, which was opened last week, has the potential to close some historical gaps about Kerala.

The 187 manuscripts at the museum include documents written on cured and treated palm leaves that were relegated to the corners of the records rooms. These include an extensive collection of tales that are entirely based on primary sources. The museum, according to officials, only displays bundles of palm leaf materials and related objects, such as styluses and carriers for the Cadjan bundles. There are also copper plates and bamboo splints can be seen.

With eight galleries that reflect several sectors, including "History of Writing," "Land and people," "Administration," "War and peace," "Education and Health," "Economy," "Art and culture," and "Mathilakam Records," the facility is luring both casual tourists and specialised researchers. Films and information-gathering QR code technology are featured in a few portions as well.

The museum serves as a centre for historical and cultural research for academic and nonacademic academics, in addition to enhancing the state's cultural landscape. After painstakingly sorting through 1.5 crore palm-leaf records from all over the state that had been carelessly kept, the museum's first phase's archive material was chosen.

Meanwhile, the three-century-old structure's basement floor, where the Kerala state government's Central Archives are located, is where the museum first opened. Officials are thrilled to house the famous museum and see it as just the beginning of a much larger historic preservation initiative.