Mahabharata, Arthashastra, and Rajatarangini manuscripts enter UNESCO heritage register

Manuscripts of the Mahabharata, Arthashastra and Rajatarangini have been inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register, recognising India's literary, historical and intellectual heritage.

The announcement was made by the Ministry of Culture on November 5, following a decision at the 11th session of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP) in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The three manuscripts are preserved at research institutions in Pune, Mysuru and Srinagar. With the latest additions, India's total number of inscriptions on the regional register has risen to six.

The Mahabharata manuscript, titled "The Birch-bark (burjapatra) Manuscript of Mahabharata - A Perennial Epic of South Asia", is preserved at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in Pune, Maharashtra.

Traditionally attributed to sage Vyasa, the Sanskrit epic explores themes of duty, morality, justice, and governance. Its central narrative revolves around the conflict between the Pandavas and Kauravas. It also contains the Bhagavad Gita, a philosophical dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna.

The second inscription is "Kautilya's Arthashastra, Ancient Palm-leaf Manuscript on Governance and Statecraft", preserved at the Oriental Research Institute in Mysuru, Karnataka.

Traditionally attributed to Kautilya, also known as Chanakya, the ancient Sanskrit treatise examines administration, economics, diplomacy, taxation, military strategy, and foreign policy. The manuscript was rediscovered in 1905 by scholar R. Shamasastry.

The third manuscript, "The Manuscript of Rajatarangini by Kalhana: A Twelfth Century Chronicle of Kashmir", is preserved at the Oriental Research Library in Srinagar.

Written by 12th-century historian Kalhana, Rajatarangini documents Kashmir's history through successive dynasties and rulers. It is regarded as one of the important historical chronicles of medieval India.

Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat welcomed the recognition, describing it as an acknowledgement of India's civilisational heritage.

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) played a key role in preparing the nomination dossiers for the three manuscripts.