Rare manuscript most exquisite cultural history of Timurids: Unesco


Alok K N Mishra, TNN | Feb 1, 2012, 04.21AM IST

PATNA: The Unesco's website says Tarikh-e-Khandan-e-Timuriyah is part of the most precious documentary heritage of the world, representing the most exquisite cultural history of the Timurids and their artistic genius which influenced not only India but the world as a whole.

"Though we plan to reproduce a digitized facsimile edition, the heritage manuscript won't be uploaded online. The hard copies are, of course, meant for circulation," library director Imtiaz Ahmad said and attributed the move to the fact that its inclusion in the MWR in May last year has generated renewed interest in it among scholars and history lovers.

The Unesco's MWR programme, as per its practice, offered monetary assistance for safe preservation of the unique manuscript.

"But we did not accept it since we are adequately funded by the government of India," Ahmad said and added as early as 2006 the manuscript was identified as a 'Manuscript Treasure of India' by the Union ministry of culture.

According to Ahmad, the manuscript is kept in an iron safe under double lock-and-key system with one key in his possession and the other in the possession of Patna divisional commissioner.

The MWR items belong to 11 countries, including Bulgaria, Fiji, Guyana, Ireland, Japan, Mongolia and Morocco. It covers various kinds of material, including stone, celluloid, parchment and audio recordings. The register was launched in 1992 to "guard against collective amnesia through preservation of the valuable archive holdings and library collections" all over the world