https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Government_Oriental_Manuscripts_Library_and_Research_CentreGovernment Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Centre - Revision history2026-08-02T14:52:56ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Government_Oriental_Manuscripts_Library_and_Research_Centre&diff=501073&oldid=prevVikv10 at 14:33, 3 May 20262026-05-03T14:33:08Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Library of palm-leaf manuscripts in Chennai, India}}<br />
{{Infobox library<br />
| name = The Government Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Centre<br />
| library_logo = <br />
| image = <br />
| caption = <br />
| location = [[Chennai]], [[India]]<br />
| type = Repository of Palm-leaf manuscripts<br />
| coordinates = <br />
| established = 1867<br />
| num_branches = N/A<br />
| collection_size = More than 49,000<br />
| items_collected = Books and Manuscripts<br />
| annual_circulation = Open to public<br />
| pop_served = <br />
| budget =<br />
| director = <br />
| num_employees = <br />
| website = [https://www.tnarch.gov.in/goverment-oriental-manuscripts-library-and-research-centre Official website]<br />
}}<br />
{{More citations needed|date=April 2026}}<br />
'''The Government Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Centre''' is a library of palm-leaf manuscripts in [[Chennai]], [[India]]. Established in 1867 with a palm-leaf collection from the estate of army officer and Indologist [[Colin Mackenzie]], the library occupies a building within the [[University of Madras]] campus. It is one of the largest repositories of palm-leaf manuscripts in [[South India]]. The library is maintained by the Tourism, Culture and Hindu Religious Endowment Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.<ref name="tnarch">{{Cite web |date=9 May 2025 |title=About Us |url=https://tnarch.gov.in/goml/ |website=Government of Tamil Nadu – Government Oriental Manuscripts Library}}</ref> It is one of the largest manuscript libraries in the world and among the first to share its collections online.<ref name="tnarch"/><br />
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== History ==<br />
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The nucleus of the manuscripts preserved in the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library originated from the collections of [[Colin Mackenzie|Colonel Colin Mackenzie]], India's first Surveyor-General.<ref name="madrasrediscoveredp157">{{cite book|title=[[Madras Rediscovered]]|last=Muthiah|first=S.|authorlink=S. Muthiah|year=2004|pages=157-158}}</ref> On his death in 1821, the bulk of Mackenzie's Collection was shipped to England. The remainder were moved from Mackenzie's house in [[Kilpauk]] to the [[Madras Literary Society]] premises from where they were transferred to their neighbour, the Fort St George College in 1828.<ref name="madrasrediscoveredp157" /> The Government Oriental Manuscripts Library was set up in 1867 and the '''Mackenzie Collection''', along with those of Telugu scholar [[C. P. Brown]] and the East India House (Dr. Leyden) were made over to them.<ref name="madrasrediscoveredp157" />Among its early curators was the German Sanskritist [[Gustav Solomon Oppert]].<br />
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In 1913, an [[Indo-Saracenic]] building was constructed within the [[University of Madras]] campus to house the university's library and the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Centre was moved to the second floor of the building.<ref name="madrasrediscoveredp157" /> In 1997, the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Centre was air-conditioned.<ref name="madrasrediscoveredp157" /><br />
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== Collection ==<br />
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The library comprises the entirety of Mackenzie's collection that hadn't been shipped to England. This included over 8000 items, mainly manuscripts, coins and antiquities, drawings, maps and printed books. The library has a total of 50000 palm-leaf manuscripts and over 40000 books and paper manuscripts.<ref name="madrasrediscoveredp157" /><br />
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== Activities ==<br />
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* Identifying, acquiring, classifying, and cataloguing manuscripts<br />
* Preserving palm-leaf and paper manuscripts<br />
* Publishing rare manuscripts in book form<br />
* Converting manuscript images into microfilm and digital formats<br />
* Disseminating information about manuscripts<br />
* Publishing multilingual bulletins<br />
* Creating awareness of manuscriptology<br />
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The administration of the library was in charge of a curator. Among the prominent curators that the library had was Sanskrit scholar and manuscriptologist [[S. Kuppuswami Sastri]] from 1914 to 1936.<br />
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== Publications ==<br />
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The library has published catalogues of Sanskrit, Tamil, and Telugu manuscripts in its collection. It also publishes an annual ''Bulletin of the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library''.<br />
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== See also ==<br />
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* [[Tamil Nadu Archives and Historical Research]]<br />
* [[Saraswathi Mahal Library]]<br />
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== Notes ==<br />
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{{reflist}}<br />
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== References ==<br />
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* {{cite book|title=The Madras Tercentenary Commemoration Volume|year=1939|pages=410-415|chapter=Sanskrit Study in Madras|first=C.|last=Kunhan Raja|publisher=Madras Tercentenary Celebration Committee}}<br />
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== External links ==<br />
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* [https://www.tnarch.gov.in/goverment-oriental-manuscripts-library-and-research-centre Official website]<br />
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{{coord missing|Tamil Nadu}}<br />
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[[Category:Libraries in Chennai]]<br />
[[Category:Research institutes in Chennai]]<br />
[[Category:Government buildings in India]]<br />
[[Category:1867 establishments in India]]<br />
[[Category:University of Madras]]<br />
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Chennai]]</div>Vikv10