- The Pandey family of Ambikapur has preserved handwritten heritage, Divisional Commissioner Shri Narendra Dugga observed it.
- Chhattisgarh’s knowledge tradition is being digitized under the National Manuscript Survey Campaign.
Historical and rare manuscripts are continuously being uncovered in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district under the Gyan Bharatam National Manuscript Survey Campaign, run by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The success of this campaign can be gauged from the fact that citizens themselves are now coming forward to provide the administration with information about ancient manuscripts preserved in their homes, thereby revitalizing the state’s rich knowledge tradition.
- The Pandey family has a 140-year-old heritage.
Approximately 140 years old, extremely rare manuscripts related to Tantra Sadhana have been recovered from the Pandey family living near the Brahmapara Ram Temple in Ambikapur. Surguja Divisional Commissioner Mr. Narendra Kumar Dugga and Deputy Commissioner Mr. R.K. Khunte visited the Pandey family’s residence and respectfully inspected these historical treasures. The custodian of the manuscripts, Mr. Rakesh Pandey, said that his family has four important manuscripts related to Tantra Sadhana.
The custodian of the manuscripts, Mr. Rakesh Pandey, said that all these manuscripts, namely Vanadurga Tantra Sadhana, Bhujang Prapat, Ath Baglamukhi, Vanadurga Atharvan Rahasya, were handwritten by our great-grandfather, the late Chatura Prasad Sharma, in Samvat 1886, and our family has preserved them for generations.
- Efforts to connect the new generation with the rich heritage
Divisional Commissioner Shri Narendra Dugga praised the campaign, stating that the Gyan Bharatam campaign is an important national ritual for the preservation of India’s ancient knowledge tradition, folk culture, archaeological heritage, and tribal heritage. It is raising awareness about traditional knowledge in society and connecting the new generation to its roots. Expressing pride, he said that the discovery of such manuscripts in a culturally rich state like Chhattisgarh is historic, and the administration is now working rapidly toward their scientific documentation, preservation, and digitization.
- Technical Documentation and Online Uploading
Speeding up the survey process, Mr. Harnek Singh, Sarguja’s in-charge officer from the Anthropological Survey of India (Jagdalpur), technically documented all these manuscripts and uploaded them to the online portal. Meanwhile, Joint Collector Mrs. Sharda Agarwal shared information about the progress of the ongoing survey work in the district and the future action plan. The beautiful handwriting, unique structure, and artistic style of these manuscripts, preserved for years, vividly present the contemporary scholarship, the tradition of spiritual practice, and the glorious past of Indian knowledge culture.