Belagavi: Most of the information about Indian culture, history and religion has been unearthed thanks to the old and ancient manuscripts preserved for centuries, said scholar Hampa Nagarajaiah. There is a need to create awareness about the importance of manuscripts among today’s generation, he added.He was delivering his presidential remarks at the inaugural programme of the 15th Akhila Karnataka Hastaprati (manuscript) Sammelana organized on the premises of Bharatesh Education Trust by the Manuscriptology Department in Kannada University, Hampi and university’s Dr Aa Ne Upadhye Expansion Centre. Hampana said, “Manuscripts have contributed a lot in increasing our understanding of the past and expand our knowledge regarding various things. Manuscripts were prepared manually a long time ago without the use of any machinery.”Most of the manuscripts written hundreds and thousands of years ago in India are made with the sheets made of Bhootale and Shritale tree wood (Corypha taliera roxb). There was a special and delicate way of making the sheets. The oldest manuscripts found so far in the world are in the Mummies in Egypt,” he said.Appreciating Hampi University for opening a special department for the study of manuscripts, he urged the public to submit manuscripts that they possess to the university to help preserve the invaluable texts for future generations.The scholar said the number of researchers has been coming down in recent days and research organizations and research publications have also lost interest and are shifting the focus towards other interesting areas. However, change is the nature of law for which Hampi University doesn’t need to worry. He also gave some valuable suggestions to the Manuscriptology department in the university what improvements can be made including launching of a magazine on manuscripts.In his introductory speech, K Ravindranath, HoD of Manuscriptology Department in Hampi University, said that for the past 22 years, the department was engaged in searching, collection, preservation, study and publication of manuscripts. “We have planned several programmes in the coming future. There are around 5,000 manuscripts in the department which are in form of thin wood sheets, cloths and papers. Considering the work of the department, National Manuscript Mission of New Delhi has considered it as a resource centre,” he said.Jinadatta Desai, head of Dr Aa Ne Upadhye Expansion Centre inaugurated the two-day event and manuscript exhibition. Manjunath Bevinakatti, registrar of the university spoke.Meanwhile, Hampana released three books on manuscripts.Bharatesh Education Trust president Pushpadant Doddannavar, treasurer Shripal Khemalapure and prof S S Angadi were present at the programme.

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