Oriental Research Institute Mysore
The Oriental Research Institute Mysore (ORI ) of Mysore in India is an institution that collects rare Sanskrit and Kannada manuscripts, issues, edited and published.
Description
The Oriental Research Institute Mysore was earlier known as the Oriental library. The library was founded in 1891 on the instructions of Chamaraja Wodeyar, the Maharaja of Mysore. The Institute is located at the end of Krishnaraja Boulevard in the architecturally interesting Jubilee Hall, which was built in 1887 to celebrate the golden anniversary of the accession of Queen Victoria. Until 1961, the institute was part of the Ministry of Education and then became part of the newly founded University of Mysore. The Oriental Library was renamed in 1943 in Oriental Research Institute.
Work
From 1893 to today published the ORI nearly 200 titles. The library has a rare collection such as Encyclopaedia of religion and ethics by James Hastings, A Vedic Concordance by Maurice Bloomfield and critical editions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. It was the first public library of the city of Mysore for the research and the issuing of manuscripts. The focus is on the Indology. The Institute publishes an annual journal, the Mysore Orientalist. In 1909 brought the publication of Kautilyas Arthashastra, written in the 4th century BC, edited by Dr. R. Shamashastri, the Institute an international reputation. Also known are the publications Sri Tattvanidhi, a collection of shlokas Krishnaraja Wadiyar III. Three edited manuscripts Navaratnamani - mahatmyam ( a work on gemology ), Tantra Sara Sangraha ( a work on sculpture and architecture) and Vaidashastra - dipika ( a text on Ayurveda) have been translated into English and Kannada and reprinted several times. Two other works, the Rasa - Kaumudi ( about mercury medicine) and Paryayapadamanjari ( Ayurveda Dentistry) have been processed and will be published.
The ORI has over 33,000 palm-leaf manuscripts. These manuscripts are made from the leaves of the palm talipot that are cut in a standard size of 15 cm to 3.5 cm. The brittle palm leaves were softened with a paste of Ragi and used for documents similar to the papyrus in ancient Egypt. This organic material rots easily and can be destroyed by silverfish. To preserve bringing in ORI lemongrass oil on the manuscripts, which acts as a pesticide. The lemongrass oil brings fluid into the brittle palm leaves and the hydrophobic nature of the oil keeps the manuscripts dry. This makes the text before the humidity is kept confidential.
The common method for preserving manuscripts at ORI is capturing on microfilm. The Institute acquired the manuscripts digitally, which simplifies the restoration of the texts.
Scientist
- Prof. A. R. Krishnashastry
- Dr. R. Shamashastri