New Delhi: A rare Sanskrit manuscript of the Ramayana, dating back more than two centuries, was formally handed over to the International Ram Katha Sangrahalaya in Ayodhya on Tuesday in a move aimed at strengthening the preservation of India’s literary and cultural heritage.
The manuscript was presented by Prof. Shrinivasa Varakhedi, Vice Chancellor of the Central Sanskrit University, to Nripendra Misra, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Prime Ministers Museum and Library, at Teen Murti in New Delhi, according to an official statement.
Prepared in Sanskrit using the Devanagari script, the manuscript contains a traditional rendering of the Valmiki Ramayana along with an early scholarly commentary by Maheshvara Tirtha. Historical records place the work in Vikrama Samvat 1849, corresponding to 1792 CE, making it one of the few surviving copies from that period.
The text preserves five major sections of the epic – Balakanda, Aranyakanda, Kishkindhakanda, Sundarakanda, and Yuddhakanda – and is regarded by scholars as an important example of the Ramayana’s classical transmission across generations.
Until recently, the manuscript had been kept at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Its permanent transfer to the Ram Katha Sangrahalaya is expected to allow broader public access while ensuring professional conservation in Ayodhya, a city closely associated with the Ramayana tradition.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Prof. Varakhedi said placing the manuscript in Ayodhya would help connect academic study with public engagement and keep the teachings of the epic alive for future generations.
Misra said the transfer marked an important addition to the Ram Katha Sangrahalaya and described it as a significant moment for devotees and scholars alike, particularly in the context of Ayodhya’s growing role as a centre for Ramayana-related research and heritage.
