Tezpur University workshop highlights importance of studying ancient Assamese manuscripts

A Correspondent

Tezpur: In order to bring awareness on the study of history and literature through the use of hand-written documents, National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM), Manuscript Conservation Centre (MCC), Tezpur University organized a workshop on Manuscriptology (Reading Manuscript) at the Department of Cultural Studies recently.

The purpose of the workshop was to bring awareness on the importance of ancient Assamese scripts among people. Old knowledge base is stored in the form of manuscripts among others, and thus the knowledge about the old scripts and language becomes very necessary for safeguarding the heritage. Thus, the workshop was organized with the aim of imparting basic knowledge on old Assamese scripts and techniques of deciphering the manuscripts. Participants were mainly the people who were directly or indirectly associated with the field of Assamese language and manuscripts.

The workshop started with general discussion on script and historical background of evolution of Assamese language. It was then followed by identification and comparison of old and new number systems where the participants were given specific materials for reference to conduct the exercise. Later on, resource person Bhaskar Bordoloi, who has been working in this field for a long time, discussed the alphabets used in old Assamese scripts and the practical exercise was repeated. The workshop ended with the certificate distribution ceremony.

Apart from Tezpur University faculty members and staff, Dr. Amia Pator, Head of the Department of Assamese of Nagaon Girls’ College and Rajiv Kairi, Cultural Development Officer, Jyoti Bharati, Tezpur attended the workshop. A total of 15 participants from Tezpur University, Nagaon Girls’ College, Nagaon and Tyagbir Hem Baruah College, Jamuguri took part in the workshop.

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