233 YEAR OLD VALMIKI RAMAYANA PRESENTED TO RAM KATHA MUSEUM

233 YEAR OLD VALMIKI RAMAYANA PRESENTED TO RAM KATHA MUSEUM

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RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

DELHI--------------------------In a historic cultural transfer, Professor Srinivas Varkhedi, Vice Chancellor of the Central Sanskrit University, handed over a rare 233-year-old Sanskrit manuscript of the Valmiki Ramayana (including the Tattvadipika commentary) to Nripendra Mishra, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Prime Minister's Museum and Library (PMML) at Teen Murti.

The manuscript, composed by the Adi Kavi Maharishi Valmiki and accompanied by the classical commentary by Maheshwar Tirtha, is written in Sanskrit (Devanagari script). Dating back to Vikram Samvat 1849 (1792 AD), it is a work of historical significance and represents a rare preserved textual tradition of the Ramayana. The collection comprises the epic's five major cantos: Balakanda, Aranyakanda, Kishkindhakanda, Sundarakanda, and Yuddhakanda, which reflect the narrative and philosophical depth of the epic.

The manuscript, previously temporarily entrusted to the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, has now been permanently gifted to the International Ram Katha Museum in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. This significant move supports the museum's development as a global hub for Ramayana heritage, ensuring its preservation and wider access to the general public.

Prof. Varakhedi said, "This gift will immortalize the profound knowledge of the Valmiki Ramayana in the holy city of Ayodhya, ensuring its accessibility to scholars, devotees, and visitors from around the world."

Nripendra Mishra, Chairman of the Executive Council of PMML, said, "The donation of this rare manuscript of the Valmiki Ramayana to the Ram Katha Museum in Ayodhya is a historic moment for Ram devotees and the temple complex in Ayodhya."