GLAM/Newsletter/July 2025/Contents/Bangladesh report
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Bangladesh’s First Digitized Palm-Leaf Manuscript Preserved by Rajshahi Wikimedia Community
In a landmark achievement, the Rajshahi Wikimedia Community digitized Bangladesh’s first palm-leaf manuscript, a rare 200 year old Sanskrit text in Bengali script titled Shyama Mantra.
In July 2025, the Rajshahi Wikimedia Community reached a historic milestone in cultural preservation by digitizing Bangladesh’s first known scanned palm-leaf manuscript "Shyama Mantra". This ancient text, written in Sanskrit using Bengali script, is dedicated to the goddess Kali and is traditionally recited during Kali Puja (Shyama Puja).
The manuscript, believed to be over 200 years old and written before circa 1800, was discovered in a private collection in the Rajshahi region. It contains a total of 84 fragile leaves, of which pages 66 and 71 could not be recovered. Despite the missing leaves, the manuscript provides a rare glimpse into early religious practices and regional script styles.
By carefully scanning the entire manuscript, the community has taken a major step toward safeguarding Bangladesh’s tangible heritage. This initiative not only preserves a culturally significant artifact but also offers valuable material for scholars, linguists, and the public.
This marks the first time a palm-leaf manuscript has been digitally preserved in Bangladesh through Wikimedia Bangladesh’s GLAM efforts setting an important precedent for future digitization projects.
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