Manipur govt digitizes over 5.87 lakh manuscripts to safeguard archival heritage
Imphal: The Manipur government has digitised more than 5.87 lakh manuscripts, which provide a direct link to the past and serve as primary source material for understanding history, culture, science, and literature.
K. Dinamani Singh, Director of Art & Culture, Government of Manipur, spoke at a one-day workshop on manuscript conservation held in Imphal on Thursday.
The National Archives of India (NAI), New Delhi, in association with the Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of Manipur, organised the workshop.
KD Singh said the workshop was organised to address concerns over the large number of manuscripts lying scattered across villages in Manipur.
Stating that over 5.87 lakh manuscripts have already been digitised, the Director said many more require immediate attention.
He urged elders and custodians to allow proper handling and study of Puya manuscripts, noting that reluctance to treat them as study materials may lead to their eventual disappearance.
Noting that many invaluable records from the era of Maharaja Pamheiba, also called Gharib Niwaz (23 December 1690 – 13 December 1748), were written on paper, bark, and cloth, he asserted that real archival materials are priceless and irreplaceable.
Expressing concern over the loss of historical authenticity, he cited examples from Tibetan and Mongolian histories, which are largely documented by outsiders.
He stressed the need to distinguish genuine manuscripts from fake ones and warned that many rare documents, such as the late 19th-century sketches of Kangla fort in Imphal, are at risk of disappearance if not properly preserved.
In the technical sessions, resource persons P.K. Mishra, Scientific Officer, National Archives of India (NAI), New Delhi, presented strategies for manuscript preservation.
Thingnam Sanjeev, Archivist, NAI, spoke on the role of the Public Records Act and the 2000 Rules in the appraisal and transfer of records; Naoroibam Indramani Singh, former Microphotographist, Manipur State Archives, delivered insights on traditional methods of preserving Puya; and Mutua Bahadur, Director, Mutua Museum, shared expertise on the preservation of stone facsimiles.
The workshop concluded with an interactive session, facilitating discussions on practical approaches to safeguarding Manipur’s rich archival heritage.