Manuscripts Mission Team Visits Ariadaha Association Library and Literary Club

In January 2016, the Manuscript Mission’s Team was invited to a century-old library in Kolkata at in Belgharia, near North 24 Parganas. The Ariadaha Association Library and Literary Club is next to a Sripat (dwelling place) of Raghunath Das Goswami. BRC cataloged, preserved, and digitised over 200 manuscripts there. 

Main entrance of library

The condition of manuscripts before BRC came

After BRC completed their service 

Complete Set of Nadia Prakash Fully Preserved and Bound

We previously reported the acquisition of the Bookeye 4, a professional, high resolution scanner. Since its arrival, we have been busy scanning beginning with the more delicate works, in particular the 31 bound volumes of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s daily newspaper Nadia Prakash.

We are happy to report that the scanning of Nadia Prakash is now completed – a huge task which resulted in almost 40,000 (forty thousand) images!

All 31 volumes have now been:
de-acidified;
laminated with acid-free sheets;
re-assembled in volumes ready for re-binding;
fully indexed 

BRC Acquires a First Class Scanning Machine

Our chief goal this year was to obtain a professional, high resolution scanner. With nearly 15,000 books in our catalogue this was a top priority. We are extremely happy to report that on July 24 2012 after six months of fund raising, we took delivery of a Bookeye 4 scanner (see photo above) by a German company ImageAcess.

Thanks to the enthusiastic support we received since we launched our scanner appeal in January we were able to purchase a better scanner than the Atiz Bookmini mentioned in our last newsletter. Costing almost 15 lakhs (approx. $27,000.00) the Bookeye 4 is a state-of-the-art machine capable of scanning 600 pages per hour.

It has a scanning area of 16×26″ (full newspaper size), a flat/V-shaped cradle, Self Service Scanning to USB, touch screen controls, Integrated 19″ preview screen, and 600 DPI software with OCR for very high resolution searchable images. Readers interested in seeing the technical details can do so here.

Along with the Bookeye 4 we also purchased a dedicated computer plus upgraded our on-line uninterruptable power backup system. The Bookeye can be used as a self-contained kiosk for quickly scanning documents, or with the additional computer it becomes part of our main server system with 5 terabytes of storage.

After receiving two days training our staff have now begun serious scanning, beginning with the multiple bound copies of Nadia Prakash, the daily newspaper of the Gaudiya Matha from the late 1920s.

Images will be uploaded to our website brcindia.com as they become available.

Specialised Preservations Begin on Nadia Prakash

After consulting experts in the field of historical preservation, we have decided on the best method of preserving particularly delicate publications. It involves paper lamination as an effort to arrest their deterioration and to enable us to handle them without causing any damage.

In March 2012 we initiated this program, beginning with Nadia Prakash.

A special acid-free tissue is applied both sides of the document, with a thicker half-inch gutter that can be used for binding. The tissue is pasted down with water soluble glue so that the process can be reversed easily if need be. Paper lamination extends the life of the document by at least 50 years.

Because the lamination tissue is opaque the text becomes somewhat obscured. However, despite this, our new Bookeye scanner produces clear, easily readable images at 600 DPI.

Our goal this year is to laminate at least 30 bound volumes of Nadia Prakash as well as multiple volumes of the other periodicals — Sajjana-toshani, Harmonist, Gaudiya, and Bhagavat.

Preservations Efforts Update

An observant reader will have noticed the very delicate condition of many of the books, some of which date back 100-140 years. They have been attacked by bugs, acid, humidity and time. Preservation is therefore a priority and BRC is employing several methods to achieve this.

Every book will be scanned and put online on our website. Dissemination is the most effective means of preservation.

Fumigating rids the books of destructive bugs.

Strict climate and temperature control also help to preserve the works for many more years than normal.

The most delicate books have been carefully laminated by a team of professionals. A special acid-free tissue is applied both sides of the page, creating a half inch gutter that can be used for binding.

The tissue extends the life of the paper by at least 50 years. It can also be removed and replaced at a later date without damage to the paper.

The disadvantage is that the tissue is opaque so the text becomes somewhat obscured. However, after scanning it, the image can be manipulated by computer so that the text becomes clear again.

The lamination can be seen in the above sample. The page on left is a typical acid-affected, brittle page. A similar page after lamination is on the right. The top right damaged corner is squared and a one-inch gutter has been created down the left side to enable the book to be rebound.

Another system is to have important works reproduced on metal plates. Locally there is a system for exact reproduction of any image onto thin zinc plate. What this means is that the writing on any ancient manuscript can be exactly copied thus preserving the original work as it is. If carefully handled these metal plates can last thousands of years!

The role of fumigation in restoration efforts

Fumigation of all inventory is essential. The older materials are riddled with destructive insects of various kinds and some of the oldest works are seriously eaten away.

Our fumigation program is simple but effective. Acting on advice from the Asiatic Society library we obtained the necessary chemicals to ensure that all the destructive bugs were eliminated. The books are enclosed in special steel almiras which allow the fumes from the chemical cocktail to circulate. Three weeks is the standard fumigation period.

Once on the shelves of the library the books are surrounded by naphalene balls to keep out any possible new infestations.

BRC's Manuscripts Mission in West Bengal Libraries

During the second half of 2011, The BRC Manuscripts Mission traveled to libraries in West Bengal. The Most significant of the hundreds of works we have photographed in the last six months is a tal manuscript worshiped on the altar at Caitanya Tal Mandir in Navadwipa. 

This manuscript is said to be a commentary by Srila Gadadhara Pandit on the 10th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, with annotations by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself! While this will need to be verified, we are very grateful to head mahanta Sri Sudin Goswami (at right with the manuscript) who was extremely cooperative and friendly and allowed us to photograph the entire manuscript.

In exchange we supplied him a disc with the digital images and we will make a complete copy on metal plates for the temple to preserve the work for many generations to come.

Another library successfully reproduced was at the Caitanya Mandir, Gaighat, Patna. HH Mahavisnu Swami kindly gave us an introduction and in November our team spent a week photographing more than a dozen manuscripts. The temple is a little run down and requires some renovations but the Mahanta there, Sri Kishori Raman Goswami was very kind and helpful. On the altar there is a beautiful Deity of Krsna Who appears very similar to Sri Sri Radha Raman in Vrndavana.

Our team carefully wrapped the manuscripts and stored them in three almiras the government has given the temple as a grant. But we were also concerned to hear that some persons have already started to sell off some of the manuscripts in the local markets for pocket money. We have made an offer to look after the manuscripts should the situation change and he can no longer care for them.

The Main Types of Manuscripts at BRC

There are three main types:

1) tree bark, like this one at our BRC library in Kolkata:

2) palm or tal leaf, which is usually the oldest and rarest kind. This one was donated recently:

This was part of a batch of 20 that were found floating around in the big Mayapur flood of 2000 and were rescued by a local man. Most were ruined but a few survived and we recorded them for posterity.

3) a variety of different types of paper, such as this cotton based sheet at Halisahar Caitanya Doba mandir: