Preserving Ancient Heritage

• Nalbari district of Assam, known as the Nabadwip of Assam for its rich tradition of Sanskrit education, has long been home to numerous ancient manuscripts. 
• Many families in the district still possess sasipat and tulapat manuscripts, though lack of proper preservation has led to the loss of a large number of them.
• To address this, a group of youths from Nalbari, under the Kamrup Sanskrit Sanjivani Sabha and supervised by Sanskrit scholars, have launched a campaign to preserve these manuscripts. 
• Since March, they have recovered around 800 manuscripts by visiting villages such as Kaithalkuchi, Gamarimuri, Nardi, and Dhurkuchi and creating awareness among villagers.
• The Sabha itself, established in 1913 by eminent scholars like Mahamahopadhaya Dhireswaracharya, Pratap Chandra Goswami, and Sarat Chandra Goswami, has played a pioneering role in manuscript preservation. 
• Today, it maintains the largest collection of manuscripts in Northeast India, with about 3,000 rare manuscripts preserved in its museum. 
• Preservation methods include wrapping manuscripts in medicated red cloth, while digitisation is being undertaken in collaboration with the National Manuscript Mission through a Manuscript Resource Centre and a Manuscript Preservation Centre.
• Some individual collections are remarkable: for instance, 500 manuscripts from Kaithalkuchi and 700 from Gamarimuri have been documented. 
• The Sabha also supports scholars and students, providing resources sufficient for hundreds of Ph.D. dissertations. 
• With growing efforts from both the Sabha and the youth, Nalbari continues to safeguard Assam’s intellectual and cultural heritage.

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Statement-based MCQ

With reference to the Kamrup Sanskrit Sanjivani Sabha in Nalbari, consider the following statements:

1. It was established in 1913 by Sanskrit scholars such as Mahamahopadhaya Dhireswaracharya and Pratap Chandra Goswami.
2. The Sabha currently preserves about 3,000 rare manuscripts, making it the largest manuscript collection in Northeast India.
3. Manuscripts are preserved only in the museum; preservation at private residences is not allowed.
4. The Sabha works in collaboration with the National Manuscript Mission for digitisation and preservation.
   

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 4 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: (a)