Inside the effort to digitise and translate centuries-old Newa manuscripts
Summary
Archive Nepal is digitising and translating centuries-old Newa manuscripts to preserve them from physical decay and make their knowledge accessible globally, involving youth volunteers and following strict preservation protocols.
Key Points
- Nepal houses approximately 180,000 manuscripts, mostly preserved by local custodians rather than public institutions.
- Archive Nepal is digitising 200 to 800-year-old Newa manuscripts in fragile scripts like Ranjana, Bhujimol, and Prachalit to preserve and make them accessible.
- Volunteers, including youth learning historical scripts, help transcribe and translate manuscripts into Nepali and English for wider accessibility.
- The initiative is supported by Wikimedia Foundation and collaborates with UNESCO to safeguard this documentary heritage and promote community engagement.
