Mahabharata, Arthashastra and Rajatarangini Enter UNESCO's Memory of the World Register

In news

• Three Indian manuscripts have been inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW) Asia-Pacific Regional Register:
  • the Mahabharata
  • Kautilya's Arthashastra
  • Kalhana's Rajatarangini
• The decision was taken at the 11th session of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP) in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• The Ministry of Culture announced it on 5 November 2026.
• MOWCAP added 21 new items to the regional register in this cycle (2025–26).
• The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) prepared the nomination dossiers for all three.
• India now has six entries on the Asia-Pacific Regional Register.

The three inscriptions

Manuscript	Material	Custodian
Mahabharata	Birch bark (bhurja-patra)	Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI), Pune, Maharashtra
Arthashastra of Kautilya	Palm leaf	Oriental Research Institute, Mysuru, Karnataka
Rajatarangini of Kalhana	Manuscript	Oriental Research Library, Sri Pratap Singh Library complex, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir

About the three texts

Mahabharata

• A Sanskrit epic, traditionally attributed to sage Vyasa.
• It has about one lakh verses in 18 parvas (books). It is often called the world's longest epic poem.
• Theme: the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas, with lessons on dharma, duty, justice and statecraft.
• The Bhagavad Gita is part of its Bhishma Parva.
• BORI prepared the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata between 1919 and 1966.

Arthashastra

• A Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, economy and administration, attributed to Kautilya (also called Chanakya or Vishnugupta). He is linked with Chandragupta Maurya.
• It covers taxation, trade, law, diplomacy, espionage and war. It has 15 books (adhikaranas).
• Key ideas:
  • the Saptanga theory of the state (seven limbs: king, minister, territory, fort, treasury, army, ally)
  • the Mandala theory of foreign relations
• The text was rediscovered in 1905 by R. Shamasastry at the Mysore library, now the Oriental Research Institute. He published it in 1909.

Rajatarangini

• Means "River of Kings". Written in Sanskrit verse by Kalhana in 1148–49 CE.
• A chronicle of the kings of Kashmir, in eight books (tarangas).
• It is often called the first proper work of history writing in India. Kalhana used inscriptions, coins and earlier records, and tried to be impartial.
• It describes dynasties such as the Karkotas (including Lalitaditya Muktapida) and the Utpalas.

What is the Memory of the World Programme?

• An initiative launched by UNESCO in 1992.
• Aim: to preserve the world's documentary heritage and make it accessible to all.
• Documentary heritage includes manuscripts, rare books, archives, maps, photographs, films and sound recordings.
• It works through an International Advisory Committee of 14 members, appointed by UNESCO's Director-General.
• It is a programme, not a convention. Inscription brings recognition and visibility, not legal obligations.

Three levels of registers

Register	Who decides	Notes
International Register	UNESCO's Executive Board, on the advice of the International Advisory Committee	First inscriptions in 1997. About 570 items as of 2025
Regional Registers	Regional committees, such as MOWCAP for Asia and the Pacific (set up in 1998)	MOWCAP normally inscribes items every two years
National Registers	National Memory of the World committees	Recognise heritage of national importance

India's tally

• International Register: 14 entries. Examples:
  • Rigveda manuscripts (2007)
  • Gilgit Manuscripts (2017)
  • Bhagavad Gita and Bharata's Natyashastra (2025)
• Asia-Pacific Regional Register: 6 entries.
  • 2024 (10th MOWCAP meeting, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia): Ramcharitmanas, Panchatantra and Sahṛdayālokalocana
  • 2026 (11th session, Jakarta): Mahabharata, Arthashastra and Rajatarangini

Don't confuse: three UNESCO heritage lists

List	Protects	Basis	India's examples
World Heritage List	Places: monuments, sites, natural areas	1972 Convention	Taj Mahal, Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple
Intangible Cultural Heritage	Living traditions: festivals, arts, practices	2003 Convention	Kumbh Mela, Garba, Durga Puja in Kolkata
Memory of the World	Documents: manuscripts, archives, recordings	Programme (1992), not a convention	Rigveda, Bhagavad Gita, now Rajatarangini

Why it matters

• Global recognition of India's knowledge traditions in ethics, statecraft and history writing.
• Preservation: draws attention to fragile birch-bark and palm-leaf manuscripts.
• Soft power: supports cultural diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific.
• Access: encourages digitisation and scholarly use. This links with the Gyan Bharatam Mission for manuscripts.

Static connect

• Birch bark (bhurja-patra) was widely used in Kashmir and the north-west. Palm leaf was common in south and east India.
• National Mission for Manuscripts: set up in 2003 under the Ministry of Culture. IGNCA is the nodal agency.
• Kalhana was a contemporary of King Jayasimha of Kashmir (Lohara dynasty).
• Megasthenes' Indica describes the Mauryan state from a Greek envoy's view. It is often compared with the Arthashastra.

Exam relevance: UPSC Prelims and GS-1 (Art and Culture, Ancient Indian history); TGPSC, APPSC (Indian culture and heritage).