Three Indian Literary Works Added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register

May 16, 2024

UNESCO’s Memory of the World (MOW) program has recently added three Indian literary works – Ramcharitmanas, Panchatantra, and Sahṛdayaloka-Locana, to its Asia-Pacific Regional Register. This took place during the tenth meeting of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP), held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

This marks the first successful nomination by India since the inception of MOWCAP in 2004.

About the Included Texts

Ramcharitmanas, written by Goswami Tulsidas, is a revered epic read extensively across Southeast Asia. Its narratives resonate well beyond the Indian borders, reaching audiences in Cambodia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.

Panchatantra’s fables impart universal moral lessons, while Sahṛdayaloka-Locana, rooted in 15th-century Kashmir scholarly work, is celebrated for its aesthetic contributions.

Memory of the World Programme

Launched by UNESCO in 1992, the Memory of the World programme aims to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia. It promotes the preservation, protection, and dissemination of valuable archival holdings and library collections worldwide.

The programme helps in recognizing and maintaining records of heritage of significant importance at international, regional, and national levels, facilitating research, education, and preservation.

Global and Regional Registrations

As of May 2023, there are 494 inscriptions globally on the International Memory of the World Register. The MOWCAP specifically focuses on documents that highlight achievements in literature, genealogy, and science in the Asia-Pacific region. In its 2024 cycle, MOWCAP recognized contributions from various Asian countries, highlighting key regional literary traditions and scientific discoveries.

More About Ramcharitmanas

“Ramcharitmanas,” authored by Tulsidas in the 16th century, is written in Awadhi dialect. Unlike Valmiki’s Ramayana, it starts with the curse on Lord Shiva’s attendants. Tulsidas composed it during the reign of Akbar. The text encapsulates seven Kands, with Lav-Kush Kand exclusive to it.

Tulsidas claimed to have visions of Hanuman and Shiva, which inspired his writings. The work embeds philosophies of Vedanta and Bhakti, and is famed for its Chaupais and Dohas, prominently featuring in the Hindu ritual of Ramayana recitation.

More About Panchatantra

The ‘Panchatantra,’ attributed to Vishnu Sharma, is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in verse and prose. Originating around the 3rd century BCE, it was intended as a political science manual based on the ‘niti’ (policy) teachings, aimed at educating young princes. Not originally a children’s book, its stories were designed to instruct on statecraft. They’ve been translated into more than 50 languages, with over 200 versions in more than 60 languages, making it one of the most translated non-religious books in history. It significantly influenced world folklore, directly inspiring ‘The Arabian Nights,’ ‘The Decameron,’ ‘The Canterbury Tales,’ and ‘The Fables of La Fontaine.’

More About Sahṛdayaloka-Locana

‘Sahṛdayaloka-Locana’ is an ancient Indian text, attributed to the literati Rājaśekhara, who flourished in the 9th to 10th centuries AD. Renowned for synthesizing aesthetic theories, the text features discussions on dramaturgy and poetics, providing insights into the Sanskrit theatrical traditions of its time.

It builds concepts around the ‘rasa’ theory initially formalized by Bharata in the ‘Natya Shastra’. Although not as widely known as other classical works, ‘Sahṛdayaloka-Locana’ holds significance for its depth in analyzing emotional aspects in performance arts within historical contexts.

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