Assam IT Department, AMTRON launch digital archive to save centuries-old xaasi-paat manuscripts

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The IT (Information Technology) Department of Assam is doing a wonderful job of digitally preserving centuries-old manuscripts written in xaasi-paats and stored in various xatras across the state. AMTRON is assisting the department in this endeavour.

The digital archive will now preserve the manuscripts written by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Mahapurush Madhabdev, Bhattadev, Ananta Kandali, and others. Such manuscripts are the repository of the state's religious, literary and cultural landscape. The ageing manuscripts were on the verge of damage.

According to information available to The Sentinel, the Information Technology Department, through AMTRON, successfully carried out a significant manuscript-digitisation initiative. Beginning with Bardowa Satra, over 1,121 manuscripts (approximately 1.18 lakh pages) of Xaasi-Paat Puthis, Tamra Patras, and other historical records were digitised, archived, and made publicly accessible through a dedicated portal, www.xasipaatputhi.assam.gov.in, establishing a successful, replicable model for digital preservation. The Government of India has since launched the Gyan Bharatam Mission (2024-31), the successor to the National Mission for Manuscripts under the Ministry of Culture, a national scheme to survey, conserve, and digitise India's manuscript wealth, with regional centres envisaged in every state. As the long-term preservation and promotion of such heritage falls within the mandate of the Cultural Affairs Department, further scaling is best pursued through that department, including by leveraging funding under the Gyan Bharatam Mission; the Information Technology Department, through AMTRON, will endeavour to take the initiative forward where feasible and continue to provide digitisation expertise and platform support.

 Some of the manuscripts among the over 1,121 digitally documented are Bhagawata I of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Guna Mala of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Anadi Patan of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Bhakti Bibek of Bhatta Dev, Nam Ghosa of Mahapurush Sri Sri Madhavdev, Adi Dasama of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Baikutha Purana Carita of Ram Charan Thakur, Bar-Gita of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev & Mahapurush Sri Sri Madhavdev, Bhagawat III with tika of Veda Vyasa/Sridhara Swami Com, Adya Dasam of Ananta Kandali, Bhagawat Canto of Ratnakar Kandali, 12 dramas by Srimanta Sankardev, Madhavdev and Ramcharan Thakur, Kali Damana Nata of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Bhakti Ratnawali of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Bali Chalana of Kirtana of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, Bhagavata Purana (Canto X) of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, and Bhagawat (Canto III) of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev.

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