Context
Recently, the Ramcharitmanas, Panchatantra, and Sahṛdayāloka-Locana were included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register.
UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register
Asia-Pacific Member States newly inscribed 20 items during the 2024 cycle of the Memory of the World Regional Register at the 10th General Meeting of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
- The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) was vital in securing this historic moment.
- This marks the first time IGNCA has submitted nominations to the Regional Register since its inception in 2008.
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| Indian Work |
Description |
| Ramcharitmanas |
- It was written in the 16th century in the Awadhi dialect by Goswami Tulsidas.
- It is based on the Ramayana, sage Valmiki’s great epic.
- It is revered for its spiritual insights, moral lessons and poetic beauty.
|
| Panchatantra |
- It is an ancient collection back to at least the 3rd century BCE.
- It was originally written in Sanskrit by Pt. Vishnu Sharma.
- The Panchatantra stories teach the Niti – the sensible way of living.
- Its stories aim to impart practical life lessons through the interactions of anthropomorphized animals.
- Its central theme is the harmonious and integrated development of man, a life in which security, prosperity, friendship and learning are combined to produce a lasting joy.
|
| Sahṛdayaloka-Locana |
- It is a Sanskrit treatise authored by Acharya Anandvardhan.
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Significance of this Achievement for India:
- Confirmation of Rich Heritage & Cultural Legacy: This inclusion is a proud moment for India, a confirmation of the country’s rich literary heritage and cultural legacy.
- Shaper of Shared Humanity: It signifies a step forward in global cultural preservation efforts, highlighting the importance of recognizing and safeguarding the diverse narratives and artistic expressions that shape our shared humanity.
About UNESCO’s global Memory of the World (MOW) Programme
It was launched in 1992 and is an international programme aimed at safeguarding, preserving and facilitating access to and the use of documentary heritage.
- Objectives:
-
- Facilitate preservation of the world’s documentary heritage
- Catalyse universal access to documentary heritage
- Enhance public awareness worldwide of the significance of documentary heritage
| Country |
The 20 successfully inscribed items to the MOWCAP Regional Register for Asia-Pacific |
| Australia and Tuvalu |
- Funafuti: The Edgeworth David 1897 Expedition Documents
|
| Bangladesh |
- “Sultana’s Dream” by Rokeya S. Hossain
|
| China |
- Archives Relating to the Chengdu Traditional Teahouses
- Huizhou Genealogy Archives
- Printing Blocks Housed at the Derge Printing House
|
| India |
- The Illustrated Manuscripts of Rāmacaritamānasa of Tulasīdāsa
- The Manuscript of the Sahṛdayāloka-Locana: Seminal Text of Indian Poetics
- The 15th Century Manuscript of the Pañcatantra Fables
|
| Indonesia |
- Indarung I, The First Cement Plant in Southeast Asia (1910-1972)
- Indonesian Sugar Research Institute’s Archives 1887-1986: The Role of ISRI’s Research Activities to the World Sugar Industry
- The Tambo Tuanku Imam Bonjol Manuscript
|
| Malaysia |
- Al-Tarikh Salasilah Negeri Kedah: Genealogical History of Kedah State
- The Royal Correspondence of Baginda Omar (Surat Persendirian Baginda Omar)
|
| Mongolia |
- Family Chart of Hereditary Lords of the Khalkha Mongols, the House of Genghis Khan
- Mongolia’s First Postage Stamps ‘Eldev Ochir’
|
| Philippines |
- Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Española y Tagala (Christian Doctrine in Spanish and Tagalog), Manila, 1593
- Hinilawod Epic Chant Recordings
|
| Uzbekistan |
- Images of Khorezm Oasis by Khudaibergan Devanov (1879-1937)
- “Turkestan Album” 1871-1872
|
| Viet Nam |
- Bas-reliefs on the Nine Bronze Urns in Huế Imperial Palace
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About the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP)
The MOWCAP was set up in 1998 and is the regional forum for UNESCO’s global Memory of the World (MOW) Programme.
- Deals With: The Programme includes the inscription of significant documentary heritage on national, regional and international registers.
- MOWCAP aims to assist with preservation of and universal access to documentary heritage of the Asia/Pacific region, and also to increase awareness of the existence and significance of the heritage.
- The MOWCAP celebrates Asia-Pacific achievements in geneology, literature, and science, among other categories.
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May 15, 2024