Assam's Kalakshetra society presents ancient Sanchipat manuscripts to Rashtrapati Bhavan library

In a major step toward preserving Assam’s literary and cultural heritage, the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra Society on Tuesday handed over five ancient ‘sanchipat’ manuscripts to the Rashtrapati Bhavan Library in New Delhi for preservation and public display.

The rare manuscripts were formally handed over by Kalakshetra Secretary Sudarshan Thakur to Rashtrapati Bhavan Secretary Dipti Umashankar during a ceremonial event. The manuscripts, meticulously sourced from various Satras (Vaishnavite monasteries) across Assam, include some of the most revered works of the Bhakti movement led by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva and his disciple Madhavdeva.

Also Read: Himanta hints at fresh eviction in Upper Assam, begins Sadiya visit with Rs 9 crore heritage project

Among the texts donated are Kirtan Ghosha, Adi Dasham (a poetic translation of the 10th skandha of the Bhagavata Purana by Sankardeva), Nam Ghoxa by Madhavdeva, and Bhakti Ratnavali, translated into Assamese by Madhavdeva from Sanskrit texts authored by Vishnupuri monks.

A rare Assamese translation of Geet Govinda—originally composed in Sanskrit by poet Jayadeva and rendered into Assamese by Kabiraj Chakravarti during the reign of Swargadeo Rudra Singha—was also part of the donation.

“This initiative is not just about conservation but also about giving a fresh momentum to the Assamese language and its rich literary tradition,” said Sudarshan Thakur.