The Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra (SSK) in Panjabari has established a monumental repository of traditional and heritage texts, serving as a vital hub for preserving the rich socio-religious and academic knowledge of the region.
Physical Holdings & Formats
The institution proudly houses 1,247 physical manuscripts. These rare texts are preserved across various traditional, historically significant mediums, including:
• Sanchipat: Prepared from the bark of the Sanchi (agarwood) tree.
• Tulapat: Crafted from galamitha/cotton tree pulp.
• Old Handmade Paper: Reflecting early paper-making traditions.
Demonstrating the exceptional value and national importance of this repository, five selected manuscripts have been sent to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, to showcase the region's ancient traditions of knowledge storage and scholarship.
Massive Digital Preservation Drive
Recognising the vulnerability of centuries-old physical texts, SSK has undertaken an extensive conservation project. Manuscripts have been meticulously collected from diverse sources across the region, including:
• Traditional Satras (monasteries) and Namghars (prayer halls).
• Educational and cultural institutions.
• Private collections belonging to individual families.
Through this initiative, a staggering 25,383 manuscripts have been successfully preserved in a high-quality digital format.
Access and Academic Utility
This extensive digital library bridges ancient history with modern scholarship. The entire digital collection is fully accessible to users, research scholars, and academics, providing an invaluable resource for historical, linguistic, and cultural studies.