Email Address:. Indian manuscripts β Palm Leave Manuscripts missing from India: Why and how they are stolen and smuggled out? Manuscripts handed over to Muziris Heritage Project : A bundle of palm leaf manuscripts dating back at least years and belonging to Paliam Museum at Chendamangalam in Kochi has gone missing, leaving authorities stumped [1].
They are considered to be of archaeological importance. Making matters worse, the original paper identifying and cataloguing the collection of the 30 bundles has also gone missing.
This means none can identify the contents of the missing manuscript. The identification and cataloguing work had been carried out by renowned scholar late K Kunjunni Raja. The manuscripts had been among the several artefacts that were kept in the Muziris Heritage region and damaged during the flood.
The Government of Kerala initiated the Muziris Heritage Project to reinstate the historical and cultural significance of the legendary port of Muziris. The region is dotted with numerous monuments of a bygone era that conjure up a vast and vivid past. The entire project is designed to involve and integrate the local community in all its intended developmental initiatives.
The preservation-cum-tourism project of Muziris also provides timeline tours, culture tours, museum tours, backwater cruises, etc. One bundle was missing. He said they have been knocking on the doors of MHP for the past two-and-half years to get the lost palm leaf manuscript back. The 30 bundles contain the Ramayana, some portions of Mahabharata, details of Paliam land, rare ayurveda texts among others.
