State manuscripts face extinction threat STAFF Reporter GUWAHATI, July 31 Invaluable testaments of Assams history and culture are now in peril thanks to sheer apathy on the part of the State Government. Absence of any initiative to create the right infrastructure has put at risk dozens of exceptional manuscripts stored at the Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies in Guwahati.
Enquiries made by The Assam Tribune have revealed that several manuscripts in the form of sachipats have been stored in an environment highly detrimental to their already fragile state. At present, inside a building that has leaking walls and high humidity, these manuscripts are highly valued because of their historic worth as well as their high workmanship.
Some of them have already started to show signs of ageing, and if nothing is done to improve the immediate surroundings, irreparable decay would set in, said a source at the DHAS.
Some of the manuscripts are stowed away in steel cabinets inside a room that is humid, and has no equipment to regulate temperature or humidity. The ACs in the room stopped working years ago.
Ironically, the sad plight of the manuscripts had been recognised by DHAS personnel years back. But so far their concerns have not been addressed, creating a sense of utter frustration.
Currently there are about 2,800 manuscripts in the possession of DHAS. Some of them date back to the AD 17 century. The manuscripts include Hastividyarnava, Sankhachuda badha and Ankiya Nats.
It is not just that scientifically designed infrastructure is unavailable for the rare manuscripts, there is a great need for manpower with appropriate technical knowledge to maintain the manuscripts, said a source. He revealed that now many of the manuscripts are being kept wrapped in red cloths treated with insecticide in the absence of any modern alternative.
It has been learnt that the officer currently in charge of DHAS has written to the Assam Public Works Department more than once, following which a team from PWD came to inspect the building. However, months after they carried out a survey, PWD is yet to submit its estimate. With no estimate available, the DHAS is even unable to seek funds to carry out repairs.
The dismal situation in the building holding some of the most historic documents of the state could be realised from the fact that it is not equipped with effective fire fighting equipment. There is no smoke alarm, and even the two fire extinguishers are past the dates of expiry. The electrical wiring is old, and the building has walls that leak after a few hours of rain.
Lack of government support to the DHAS is also clear from its inability to purchase books in any substantial way. Since the mid 1990s, major acquisitions have not taken place in the facility that was established back in 1928.
Not surprisingly, the footfall of readers to the DHAS library is going down. Not more than six or seven visitors make use of the library these days, an official disclosed.
