Unlocking the Treasures of Saraswati Mahal Library in Thanjavur, Tamilnadu || Exploring India's oldest and most fascinating collection of manuscripts

When we were at Tanjore (Thanjavur), one of the places that we were the most excited to see was the Saraswati Mahal Library. And when you have high expectations of a place, ninety percent of the times the place does not match up. But the Saraswati Mahal Library more than exceeded our expectations. It has one of the best collections of old manuscripts on display. We had great fun going around this place and looking at the various studies documented by Indian, Britisher, Mughal, and Chinese scholars.

The Saraswati Mahal Library is considered one of the oldest and most important libraries in India and is renowned for its extensive collection of ancient manuscripts, books, and palm-leaf manuscripts. The library was established by the Nayak kings of Thanjavur in the 16th century and was named after the Hindu goddess of learning, Saraswati.

The library has a vast collection of over 49,000 manuscripts and around 400,000 printed books in various languages including Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, and Marathi. The collection includes several rare and unique manuscripts, some of which date back to the 11th century. The library's collection includes works on a wide range of subjects such as philosophy, religion, astronomy, astrology, medicine, and literature.

One manuscript that I remember particularly well is a study in anatomy of human faces. The researcher had classified common shapes of human faces and drawn parallels with the shapes of animal's faces. As per the study, there are people whose faces are shaped like that of a mouse, or a cat, or a goal, or a monkey etc. The study was supported by many detailed drawings. It was quite intriguing.

Apart from its impressive collection, the Saraswati Mahal Library is also known for its unique architecture. The library is housed in a three-story building, with the ground floor serving as the reading room and the upper floors used for storage. The building has a blend of Dravidian and European styles of architecture and features several intricate carvings and sculptures.

The library has undergone several renovations and improvements over the years and is currently managed by the Tamil Nadu government. It is open to scholars, researchers, and the general public and continues to be a significant center of learning and scholarship.

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