UNESCO Recognises Mahabharata, Rajatarangini and Arthashastra in Its Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Register

UNESCO Recognises Mahabharata, Rajatarangini and Arthashastra in Its Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Register

Introduction

• International Recognition: India has received an important international honour as three of its famous ancient works, the Mahabharata, Rajatarangini and Arthashastra, have been added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register.
• Announcement: The announcement was made on 5 November 2026 during the 11th meeting of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP).
• Venue: The meeting was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 2 to 6 November 2026.
• Significance: This recognition shows the importance of India’s old books and writings, which contain valuable information about its history, literature, culture, government and way of life.
• India’s Achievement: With these three new additions, India now has a total of six entries in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register.

Three Important Works

The three Indian works added to the register are important parts of India’s ancient knowledge. Each book tells us something different about India’s past, including its stories, history and system of government.

A. Mahabharata

• Ancient Epic: The Mahabharata is one of the oldest and longest epic stories in the world. It is one of the most important works of ancient Indian literature.
• Main Story: It tells the story of a fight between two groups of cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, over the kingdom of Hastinapur.
• Moral Lessons: The Mahabharata teaches important lessons about truth, duty, justice, honesty, family relationships and responsibility.
• Bhagavad Gita: The Bhagavad Gita is an important part of the Mahabharata. It contains the teachings of Lord Krishna to Arjuna about doing one’s duty, taking the right actions and understanding life.
• Manuscript Location: The important birch-bark manuscript of the Mahabharata included in the nomination is kept at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune, Maharashtra.

B. Rajatarangini

• Historical Book: Rajatarangini is a famous book about history. It was written in Sanskrit by a Kashmiri writer and historian named Kalhana during the 12th century.
• Year of Writing: It was written between 1148 and 1149 CE.
• Historical Information: The book tells us about the history of Kashmir, including its ancient kings, ruling families, wars, political events and the lives of people during that time.
• Eight Sections: The book contains 7,826 verses divided into eight sections. These sections are known as Tarangas.
• Importance: Rajatarangini is considered one of the most important early history books of India because it describes the history of Kashmir in order and uses earlier records and information to explain past events.
• Manuscript Location: The important manuscript of Rajatarangini is kept at the Oriental Research Library in the Sri Pratap Singh Library Complex, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.

C. Arthashastra

• Ancient Text: Arthashastra is an important ancient Indian book traditionally believed to have been written by Kautilya, who was also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta.
• Main Subject: The book explains how a government should work. It contains information about running a kingdom, managing money, collecting taxes, making laws, dealing with other kingdoms and planning for war.
• Governance: It explains how a king should look after his kingdom, maintain peace, follow rules, collect taxes and protect the people.
• Historical Importance: The book gives us valuable information about the political and economic system of ancient India, especially during the Mauryan period.
• Structure: The Arthashastra is divided into 15 books, 50 chapters and 180 sections.
• Manuscript Location: The palm-leaf manuscript of Arthashastra included in the UNESCO recognition is kept at the Oriental Research Institute in Mysuru, Karnataka.

About UNESCO’s Programme

• Programme Name: Memory of the World is an international programme started by UNESCO in 1992.
• Main Objective: Its main aim is to protect old and important books, manuscripts, historical papers and other written records from damage, destruction or loss.
• Public Access: The programme also tries to make these important records available to students, researchers and ordinary people so that they can learn about the past.
• Cultural Importance: It helps countries protect their history and knowledge and pass them on to future generations.
• Different Records: The programme includes old manuscripts, rare books, historical documents, photographs, films, sound recordings and other records that have historical and cultural value.

Three Types of Registers

UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme has three main types of registers. These registers recognise important historical records at different levels.

• International Register: It recognises old documents, books and records that are important for the whole world.
• Regional Register: It recognises important historical records that have special value for a particular region, such as Asia and the Pacific.
• National Register: It identifies and recognises important historical books, documents and manuscripts of an individual country.

Role of IGNCA

• Nodal Institution: The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) plays an important role in managing and coordinating India’s participation in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme.
• Nomination Work: IGNCA prepared the documents needed to nominate all three works, the Mahabharata, Rajatarangini and Arthashastra, for UNESCO recognition.
• Preservation Efforts: It also works to protect old manuscripts, support research and spread knowledge about India’s history, art and culture.

Previous Recognition

• Earlier Entries: Before the latest recognition, India already had three entries in the UNESCO Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register.
• Ramcharitmanas: An illustrated manuscript of Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas, containing beautiful paintings, was included in the register.
• Panchatantra: A rare 15th-century manuscript of the Panchatantra was also recognised. It contains stories about animals that teach important moral lessons.
• Sahrdayaloka-Locana: An important Sanskrit book related to poetry and the rules of Indian literature was also included.
• Total Entries: With the addition of the Mahabharata, Rajatarangini and Arthashastra, India’s total number of entries in the Asia-Pacific Regional Register has increased to six.

Importance of Recognition

• Cultural Heritage: This recognition brings worldwide attention to India’s rich history, culture and traditions.
• Historical Knowledge: It recognises India’s contribution to history, literature, philosophy and ideas about how a country should be governed.
• Research Opportunities: It may encourage more students, historians and researchers from India and other countries to study these ancient works.
• Manuscript Protection: It highlights the need to protect old books and manuscripts from damage so that they remain safe for future generations.
• Global Importance: It shows that India’s ancient knowledge and literature are not important only for India but also have value for people across the world.

Important Questions

1. Which three Indian works have been added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register in November 2026?
2. Who wrote Rajatarangini, and which region’s history does it describe?
3. Who is traditionally believed to have written the Arthashastra?
4. In which year was UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme started?
5. Where was the 11th Session of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific held?

Conclusion

The addition of the Mahabharata, Rajatarangini and Arthashastra to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register is a proud moment for India. These three ancient works tell us about India’s stories, history, culture, philosophy and system of government. They also help us understand how people lived, thought and ruled in earlier times. This recognition will bring more attention to India’s old books and manuscripts at the international level. It also reminds us that protecting our historical records is very important because they carry valuable knowledge from one generation to another. By keeping these records safe, we can help future generations understand and learn from India’s rich past.