Mahabharata, Rajatarangini and Arthashastra enter UNESCO’s Asia-Pacific memory register

Why in News?

Three major works of India’s literary and intellectual heritage—Kalhana’s Rajatarangini, the Mahabharata and Kautilya’s Arthashastra—have been included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Regional Register for Asia and the Pacific.

• The decision was taken at the 11th session of the Register in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• With these additions, India’s total inscriptions in the regional register have increased to six.
• The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) prepared the nomination dossiers.
• In April 2025, the Natyashastra and the Bhagavad Gita were inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

About the Three Newly Recognised Works

1. Rajatarangini

• Written by Kashmiri historian and author Kalhana in Sanskrit between 1148 and 1149 CE.
• A historical chronicle documenting Kashmir’s royal dynasties, political events and socio-cultural life.
• Written in the literary form of Kavya (poetry).
• Comprises 7,826 verses, divided into eight books called Tarangas.
• The primary surviving manuscript is preserved at the Oriental Research Library, Srinagar.
• It was written in the Sharada script on traditional Kashmiri birch bark.

2. Kautilya’s Arthashastra

• An ancient Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, governance, economic policy, diplomacy and military strategy.
• Attributed to Vishnugupta, also known as Chanakya, chief adviser to Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
• Dates back to the 4th century BCE.
• Structured into 15 books, 50 chapters and 180 sections.
• A complete 16th-century palm-leaf manuscript, written in the Grantha script, is preserved at the Oriental Research Institute, Mysore.

3. Mahabharata

• One of India’s major Sanskrit epics.
• Explores themes such as Dharma, duty, morality and human values.
• The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune houses the Mahabharata manuscripts included in the nomination.

About UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme

• Launched by UNESCO in 1992.
• Aims to preserve and promote documentary heritage of universal significance.
• Encourages the preservation of valuable manuscripts, archives, historical records and other documentary materials.
• It includes international and regional registers to improve the visibility and protection of documentary heritage.

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