Why in news?
President Droupadi Murmu recently inaugurated Granth Kutir at Rashtrapati Bhavan a dedicated library that houses over 2,300 books and manuscripts in 11 of India’s classical languages, showcasing the country’s rich cultural, literary, and philosophical heritage.
- Purpose: It is designed to highlight India’s civilizational wisdom and shed colonial legacies by giving prominence to indigenous knowledge traditions.
Collection Highlights
- Languages Represented (11 Classical):
Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, Bengali.
- Books & Manuscripts:
- Around 2,300 books.
- Nearly 50 rare manuscripts, many handwritten on palm leaves, bark, cloth, and traditional paper.
- Subjects Covered: Epics (Ramayana, Mahabharata), Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, philosophy, linguistics, history, and governance.
Cultural Significance
- Decolonization Effort: Granth Kutir replaces colonial-era works (like speeches of Lord Curzon) with Indian scriptures and epics, aligning Rashtrapati Bhavan with India’s cultural identity.
- Symbolism: It reflects India’s intellectual continuity and the importance of preserving classical languages as living traditions.
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