UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, an initiative that includes important manuscript heritage from around the world, was set up in 1992. It has recently included India’s traditional books, including the Bhagwat Geeta and the Natyashastra by Bharat Muni, in its list. The Prime Minister reacted to this with a social media post where is congratulated every Indian, saying it was a proud moment for us, that the traditional knowledge is now recognised by UNESCO.
UNESCO’s memory register contains manuscripts, documents, and texts that have played a role in civilizations and societies. The Bhagwat Geeta is one of the most revered Indian texts, containing the conversation of Lord Krshna and Arjuna on the battlefield of the Mahabharata.
Not only Indians but several foreigners have been rooted in the philosophy of the Geeta, including American Physicist J.R. Oppenheimer. It contains 700 verses in over 18 chapters and is a part of the Bhismaparva chapter of the Mahabharata epic. It is written in a form of dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna, where Arjuna is scared of the consequences of the war against his kin, and the Lord enlightens him with the eternal knowledge. Due to its inherent value, the Bhagwat Geeta has been translated into many languages.
Natyashastra, on the other hand, is an exemplary book on performing arts written by Bharat Muni and considered as the basis of India’s traditional art, dance, and theatre forms across the country. The manuscript is deemed the essence of Natyaveda, which was an oral art tradition and contains 36,000 verses.
With the inclusion of the Bhagwat Geeta and Natyashastra, India now has 14 entries in the Memory register. The other important entries include the manuscripts of the Rig Veda, which are 30 in number and was added in 2007, the Saiva manuscript of Pondicherry in 2005, and the Gilgit manuscript that was added in 2017.
The news was first announced by India’s ambassador to UNESCO, Vishal V Sharma, and the Union Minister of Tourism, Gajendra Singh Sekhawat. It was later shared by the Prime Minister on his X handle.
