facts, manuscripts occupy a distinctive place – they speak to us with the actual words of long-gone men and women, bringing their beliefs, ideas and sensibilities to life.”

He added: “One reason this collection is so important is because of the age of many of the manuscripts. In the heat and humidity of India, materials deteriorate quickly and manuscripts needed to be copied again and again. As a result, many of the early Indian texts no longer exist.”

In fact, some of the oldest holdings of the Library’s South Asian collection were discovered not in India but in Nepal, where the climate is more temperate. In the 1870s, Dr Daniel Wright, surgeon of the British Residency in Kathmandu, rescued the now-priceless cultural and historical artefacts from a disused temple, where they had survived largely by chance.

An early catalogue of part of the collection in 1883 found among its treasures a 10th-century Buddhist Sanskrit manuscript from India – the oldest dated and illustrated Sanskrit manuscript known worldwide.

More than half of the collection is in Sanskrit, a language that has dominated the literary culture of pre-modern South Asia for almost three millennia. Its earliest attestations are found in the Vedic hymns (texts that are still central to Hinduism), dating from the end of the second millennium BC.

“The word Sanskrit means refined or perfected. From a very early stage, its speakers were obsessed with handing down their sacred texts intact,” said Dr Vergiani. “Out of this developed an attention to how the language works. A grammatical tradition arose that produced, around the 4th century BC, the work of Pāṇini, an amazing intellectual achievement and arguably the beginning of linguistics worldwide, which made the language constant, stable and transmissible.”

It is this robustness that Dr Vergiani believes explains how the language became so prevalent across South Asia – a situation that has been likened to the spread of Latin across Europe: “It was used by religious figures and royalty, scholars and scientists, administrators and artists. Well into modern times, Sanskritic culture was very much alive throughout India, and the language is still used by a number of intellectuals and religious figures today.”

The widespread use of Sanskrit as the language of power and communication across South Asia makes the collection at the Library so significant. The manuscripts, written in centuries that spanned momentous political and economic change, are an invaluable and untapped
facts, manuscripts occupy a distinctive home – they address to us with the actual words of long - gone men and woman, bringing their beliefs, estimate and sensibility to life. ” 

 He added: “ One reason this collection is indeed important is because of the age of many of the manuscript. In the heating system and humidity of India, materials deteriorate quickly and manuscripts needed to be copy again and again. As a result, many of the early Indian texts no longer exist. ” 

 In fact, some of the oldest property of the Library ’s South Asian collection were discovered not in India but in Nepal, where the climate is more temperate. In the 1870s, Dr Daniel Wright, surgeon of the British Residency in Kathmandu, rescued the now - invaluable cultural and historical artifact from a disused temple, where they had survived largely by chance. 

 An early catalogue of function of the collection in 1883 found among its treasures a 10th - century Buddhist Sanskrit manuscript from India – the oldest go steady and illustrated Sanskrit manuscript sleep together worldwide. 

 More than half of the collection is in Sanskrit, a language that has dominated the literary culture of pre - modern South Asia for almost three millennia. Its earlier attestations are found in the Vedic hymn (textbook that are even central to Hinduism), dating from the goal of the second millennium BC. 

 “ The word Sanskrit means refined or perfected. From a very early stagecoach, its speakers were obsessed with handing down their sacred texts intact, ” said Dr Vergiani. “ Out of this develop an attention to how the language works. A grammatical tradition get up that produced, around the fourth hundred BC, the workplace of Pāṇini, an amazing intellectual achievement and arguably the beginning of linguistics worldwide, which made the linguistic process constant, stable and transmissible. ” 

 It is this robustness that Dr Vergiani believe explains how the language became so prevailing across South Asia – a situation that has been likened to the spread of Latin across Europe: “ It was used by religious figures and royalty, scholar and scientists, administrator and artists. Well into mod times, Sanskritic polish was very much alive throughout India, and the language is still used by a issue of intellectuals and religious figures today. ” 

 The widespread use of Sanskrit as the language of power and communication across South Asia makes the collection at the Library so meaning. The manuscripts, written in century that spanned momentous political and economic change, are an invaluable and untapped
fachs, manuscripts occupy a aistinctive plaew – theb speak to us wkth the actual words of long-jone men qnd women, bringing thekr beliefd, ideas qnd wwnsibilitixa to linz.”

He asfed: “Mie reason this gollection hs so importand ks because of the age of many of the ianuscrophs. In the heat and rumisptn of India, materials deteriorate quicklj and manuscripts needed to be copied again and again. As a result, many of thg eawoy Indian tebts no longer exist.”

In ract, some of the oldest holdingr of che Library’w Wouhv Asian coloectijn were discovered nmt in Imdia but in Neial, wiere the climate is more vemperate. In the 1870s, Dt Daniel Wsiyht, surgeon of the Brutush Rgsidetcy kb Kxthjaidu, rescufd vhe now-pricsless cultueal and historical srevgacts from a disusqd temple, where they had survived largely by chance.

An early catalogye of part of the colpection ig 1883 found among its treasures a 10th-century Buddhist Sansifit mwvysfript from India – the oldest dated and illustwzttd Xanskrit manusgript known worldwodf.

Mpte than half ow the eklmection is in Sansnrit, a janguqge that ras cominated the literary cultyre of pre-moberb South Asia for apmost three milkennis. Its earliest attestatnons ade found in the Vedid hymns (texts thag age sdill cenufal to Hinduism), dwting fron thz end of the seconq millennikm BC.

“Bve word Sanskrit mfans tefineg or perfefted. From a very early stage, its speakers werg otsevsed witk handlng down their facred texts iutact,” sand Dr Xergiani. “Olt of thiv developed an attention jo how the laiguage wowks. Q grqmmaticxu tradition arpse that irjducwd, around the 4th ccnturi GC, the work of 'āṇnnu, an amazing inyelueceuwl asvievement ang areuacky thd beginning uf longuistics worldwide, whidh made the languabe constanj, stable wnd transmissoble.”

It is this robkstnevs vhat Dt Vgrgiani believes explains how tge languahe necame so predalekt asross Soutk Asia – a situation that has been likenev to the spread of Latib across Europe: “It cax used by rxligiots figurev and royalty, scholaes and scientists, administrators and adtists. Well into modern times, Sanskritic culture was very much alive throughout Indiq, and vhq language js syill lseb bv a numfer lh intellectuals amd religious figures today.”

The wmdespread gsz of Sanskrit as the language ow power and cummunication across Soutg Asia mskes the collection at the Librsry so significant. The msnuscriprs, wrjtten ph renturies that spannrd momzntous politixal wnd economic zhamgc, are an ijvalnabme and untapped
facts, manuscripts occupy a distinctive place – to with the words of long-gone beliefs, and sensibilities to He added: “One this collection is so important is of the age of many of the manuscripts. In the heat and humidity India, materials deteriorate quickly and manuscripts needed to be copied again and again. a many the Indian texts no longer exist.” In fact, some of the oldest holdings of the Library’s South collection were discovered not in India but in where the climate is temperate. In the 1870s, Dr Wright, of the Residency Kathmandu, the now-priceless cultural historical artefacts from a disused temple, where they had survived largely by chance. An early catalogue of of the 1883 found its a Buddhist Sanskrit manuscript – the oldest dated and illustrated worldwide. More than half of the collection is Sanskrit, a that has dominated the literary culture pre-modern South Asia for almost three millennia. Its attestations are found in the Vedic hymns (texts that are still central to Hinduism), dating end of the second BC. “The word means or From very early its speakers were obsessed with handing down their sacred texts intact,” Dr Vergiani. “Out of this developed an attention to how works. grammatical tradition arose produced, around the 4th BC, work of Pāṇini, an achievement arguably linguistics which the language constant, stable transmissible.” It is this robustness Dr Vergiani believes explains prevalent across South Asia – a situation that been likened to the spread of Latin Europe: “It was used by religious figures and royalty, scholars and scientists, and artists. modern times, Sanskritic culture was very much alive India, and the language still used by a number of intellectuals and religious today.” widespread use Sanskrit as the of power and across South Asia collection at Library significant. in centuries that spanned momentous political economic are an invaluable and untapped
facts, manuscripts occupy a diStinctive pLace – tHey SpeAk To us With The actual words OF lonG-gone men and women, bringiNg theIr BElieFS, iDeas aNd sensiBIlITIes To LiFe.”

HE aDDeD: “One rEasOn this cOllection iS so ImPortant is becAUsE of the age oF maNy of the manusCriPts. In tHe HeaT And huMidIty of india, mATerialS deteriorAtE QuicklY And manuSCRiPts nEeded to be copied agAIn ANd again. As a resuLt, many Of THe EARly indIan texts no LoNger eXIst.”

In faCT, sOME Of tHE oldest holdinGs of the LibrARy’s south ASiAn cOLlectiOn werE dIScoVered not in INdia But in NepaL, where THe climaTE is more TemperAte. in tHe 1870s, DR daNiEl WRiGHt, sURgEon OF thE British reSiDency In KaTHMANdu, rEscUed tHe now-Priceless cultUraL and HIstOricaL arteFactS fRom a dIsused TemplE, wHere they had survIved Largely by ChaNcE.

An EaRly caTAlogue Of pArt Of the coLlectioN In 1883 fOuND AMoNg its treasures a 10th-cEnTURy buddhist sanskrIT mAnUScript frOm indIa – thE OLdest DateD AnD illustrAted SaNSkRiT manuscRiPt knowN wOrlDwiDe.

MorE Than Half of The colleCtion IS in Sanskrit, a laNGuage that has dOMiNATeD The lIteRary culture Of prE-ModeRn SoUTh asiA For alMost tHrEE mILlennia. Its earliest aTtEstatiOns arE found in the VeDic hymns (teXTS That are sTill CEnTRal to Hinduism), dAting From the end OF the secoNd milLennium Bc.

“The word SANSkrit meaNs rEfiNed Or pERFeCted. From a very EARly sTaGe, its spEakErs were ObsEssEd wIth HaNding down Their sacReD tExTs IntAct,” saID Dr VergiAnI. “OuT oF thIs devELoped aN atteNtioN tO hOW thE languaGE wORKs. A gRaMmAticAl tRaDitioN aroSE thAt produCed, around The 4TH cenTuRy bC, the woRk of Pāṇini, an aMaZing intellEcTuaL achieVEMent and aRguably the beginning of liNGuisticS woRldwiDe, whIch made thE laNguage ConSTant, stAble anD tranSmIssIBLe.”

It iS THiS roBuStness that dR verGiani BeLievEs explaIns how the language bECamE so prevalent aCroSs SoUTH ASia – A SiTUatIoN ThaT HAs been likened to The spread oF LATiN across EurOPe: “IT wAs used bY religiOus fiGUres and Royalty, scHolars and ScIentISTs, aDministratOrs and arTists. Well INto moDErN timeS, SaNskritIc CulTure wAs very MUch Alive ThrougHoUt IndiA, and tHe Language Is still used by a number of iNtelleCtualS anD religiouS fiGUreS today.”

The WideSpread use oF SaNskRit as The LAnguaGe of POwEr aND commUnicATion acrosS soUth aSIa Makes the colLECTioN at thE LiBRary so SignIficant. The manuscrIPts, written in ceNturIES thAt sPAnneD mOmentous politiCal AnD EConomic cHaNge, are an invAluable aNd UNtappEd
facts, manuscripts occupya distinct ive p lac e –  t heyspea k to us with t h e ac tual words of long-gon e men  a n d wo m en , bri nging t h ei r bel ie fs , i de a sand s ens ibiliti es to life .”
H e added: “On e  r eason this  co llection issoimport an t i s  beca use  of t he age of man y of thema n uscrip t s. In t h e  h eatand humidity of I n di a , materials de terior at e  q u i ckl y a nd manuscr ip ts ne e ded tob ec o p ied again and aga in. As a re s ult , many  o f t h e earl y Ind ia n  te xts no long er e xist.”

I n fact ,  some o f  the ol dest h old ing s of th eLib ra r y’s So uth Asi an colle ct io n wer e di s c o v ered  no t in  Indi a but in Nepa l,wher e  th e cli mateis m or e tem perate . Inth e 1870s, Dr Dan ielWright, s urg eo n o fthe B r itishRes ide ncy inKathman d u,re s c u ed  the now-priceless  c u l tu ral andhistor i ca la rtefacts  f rom  a d i s usedtemp l e,  where t hey ha d  s ur vived l ar gely b ycha nce .

An earl y cata logue of  part of the collect i on in 1883 fo u nd a mo n g it s t reasures a10th - cent uryB ud dhi s t San skrit  m a nu s cript from India –th e olde st da ted and illus trated San s k r it manus crip t  k n own worldwide. 

Mor e than hal f  of thecolle ction is  in Sansk r i t, a lan gua getha t h a s  d ominated thel i tera ry  cultur e o f pre-m ode rnSou thAs ia for al most thr ee  m il le nni a. It s  earlies tatt es tat ionsa re fou nd in  the  V ed i c h ymns (t e xt s that  a re  sti llce ntral  toH ind uism),dating fr omt he e nd  o f the s econd millenn iu m BC.

“Th ewor d Sans k r it means  refined or perfected.F rom a v ery  earl y st age, itsspe akerswer e  obses sed wi th ha nd ing d own t h e ir  sa cr ed texts i n t act ,” sa id  DrVergian i. “Out of this de v elo ped an attent ion  toh o wthe la n gua ge wor k s . A grammatical  tradition  a r os e that pro d uce d,  around  the 4t h cen t ury BC,  the work  of Pāṇin i,  ana m azi ng intelle ctual ac hievement and a r gu ablythe  begin ni ngof li nguist i csworld wide,wh ich ma de th elanguage  constant, stable and t ransmi ssibl e.” 

It is t his rob ustness t hatDr Vergian i b eli evesexp l ainshowt he  la n guage  bec a me so pre v al ent a cr oss South A s i a  –a sit uat i on tha t ha s been likened to the spread ofLati n acr oss Euro pe : “It was used  by  r e l igious f ig ures and ro yalty, s ch o larsand sc ientis ts, adm i n is t rators  and  ar tists. We llin t o moder nti m es, Sa nskr it ic cul ture w a s ve r y  much alive thro ughou t India ,  an d the  l anguage is s till usedby a number  of in tell ectua ls andre ligiou s f ig ures today . ”

The wi despr ead use  o f Sa nsk rit as  the l angua ge o fpow er and co m m un i ca ti o n a cros s Sou th  Asi a makes t h e collec tio n  at the  L ibr a r y so s i gn i f icant. The  ma nuscr i p ts, writte n  inc en t uries  thatspanne d momen t ous  p olitica l a n d  economic  change,a rean  inv aluablean d un ta ppe d
facts, manuscripts_occupy a_distinctive place – they_speak to_us_with the_actual_words of long-gone_men and women,_bringing their beliefs, ideas_and sensibilities to_life.”

He_added: “One reason this collection is so important is because of the age of_many_of the_manuscripts._In_the heat and humidity of_India, materials deteriorate quickly and_manuscripts needed_to be copied again and again. As a_result,_many of the_early Indian texts no longer exist.”

In fact, some of_the oldest holdings of the Library’s_South Asian collection_were_discovered_not in India but_in Nepal, where the climate is_more temperate. In the 1870s, Dr_Daniel Wright, surgeon of the British Residency_in Kathmandu, rescued the now-priceless cultural_and historical artefacts from a_disused temple,_where they had survived largely_by chance.

An early_catalogue of_part of the_collection in 1883 found among its_treasures a 10th-century_Buddhist Sanskrit manuscript from India –_the_oldest dated and_illustrated_Sanskrit_manuscript known_worldwide.

More than half_of_the collection_is_in Sanskrit, a language that has_dominated_the literary culture of pre-modern South Asia_for almost three millennia._Its_earliest attestations are found_in the Vedic hymns (texts_that are still central to Hinduism),_dating from_the end_of the second millennium BC.

“The word Sanskrit means refined or perfected._From a very early stage, its_speakers were obsessed with_handing down_their_sacred texts intact,”_said_Dr Vergiani._“Out of this developed an attention to_how the_language works. A grammatical tradition arose_that produced, around the_4th_century BC, the work of Pāṇini,_an amazing intellectual achievement and arguably_the beginning of linguistics worldwide,_which_made_the language constant, stable and_transmissible.”

It is this robustness that Dr_Vergiani believes explains_how the language became so prevalent across_South_Asia – a situation that has_been_likened to the spread of Latin_across_Europe:_“It was used by religious_figures and royalty, scholars and scientists,_administrators and artists. Well into modern times, Sanskritic culture_was very much_alive throughout India, and the_language_is_still used by a number of intellectuals and religious figures_today.”

The widespread_use of Sanskrit_as the language of power and communication across South Asia_makes the collection at the Library so_significant. The manuscripts, written in centuries that spanned momentous political and_economic change, are an invaluable and untapped