A recent addition to the UNESCO Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register has highlighted the intellect of Kashmir.
It acknowledges the importance of this 12th century Sanskrit classic and highlights the fact that not only is Kashmir renowned for its natural beauty but is also famed for its wealth of historical research and literature.
The fact that this manuscript is held at the Oriental Research Library in Srinagar makes it even more special.
Kalhana was centuries ahead of his time. He was unhappy with the biased accounts of the past and used official records, inscriptions and folklore to create a history of the region. This is still referenced by historians due to how unbiased it is.
His piece of work; Rajatarangini (River of Kings) looks at the history of the region in depth. It looks at the success and the issues related to the human nature.
This recognition from UNESCO helps to combat this.
It reminds people that Kashmir has a wealth of culture and history that is linked to the rest of the civilisation across the Indian Subcontinent but also has its own unique touch.
The fact that this manuscript is held in Srinagar shows just how incredible the work of the local archivists and historians are.
As J&K celebrate this incredible milestone we should also remember the responsibility this brings. As we have received recognition from the international community we need to ensure we do everything we can to preserve other delicate manuscripts that are held within the local archives.
Kalhana has taught us that history has lessons to teach us. By recognising Kalhana’s work ‘Rajatarangini’ UNESCO have highlighted the long lasting legacy of scholarly work within Kashmir. Despite all the odds the spirit of the scholars in Kashmir still runs strong like a mighty river.
