RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Digitisation of rare palm-leaf manuscripts preserved at the historic Sri Gowthami Regional Library here has commenced. Library officer Ghanta Sridevi told TNIE the programme was launched with prayers at the Saraswati temple on the library premises. The library has already completed digitisation of several books.
The project is being taken up in association with the Sanatana Jeevan Trust of Chirala and the Gyan Bharatam cluster centre under the Union Ministry of Culture. Valuable palm-leaf and paper manuscripts will be cleaned, conserved and digitised. The initiative aims to safeguard centuries-old literary and historical records from deterioration and make the contents accessible to future generations. Digitisation will help preserve rare texts while reducing the need to handle fragile original manuscripts.
The library, established in 1898 by poet Nalam Krishna Rao, was initially named the Sri Veeresalingam Library in recognition of the support and association of social reformer Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu. Poet Chilakamarti Lakshmi Narasimham also served as its president for a period.
The Veeresalingam Library and Vasuraya Library were later merged to form Gowthami Library, which was registered under the Societies Registration Act in 1920. P Nageswara Rao, Vavilala Gopalakrishnaiah and AB Nageswara Rao played important roles in its subsequent development.
The library has about 1.03 lakh books, besides 411 palm-leaf manuscripts, six copper-plate records and 40 unpublished manuscripts. Its rich collection reflects the literary, cultural of the Godavari region.
Speaking to TNIE, Urban MLA Adireddy Srinivas said the Gowthami Library is the jewel of Rajamahendravaram and enough funds to develop the library.