A rare collection of palm leaf manuscripts containing a Valmiki Ramayana scroll has been discovered at the Kalatheeswarar Temple in Koratti, Tirupattur district.
During the temple’s renovation in Kandili union, Tirupattur circle inspector Narasimhamoorthy discovered five bundles of ancient manuscripts hidden in the Rajagopuram. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE) was promptly notified, and Haripriya, the joint commissioner overseeing the scroll project, dispatched a team for examination.
Scroll project coordinator Thamarai Pandian revealed that the five bundles contained 2,075 palm leaf manuscripts. Based on handwriting analysis and stylistic elements, the texts are believed to follow the ‘Vazhi Suvadi’ tradition and were transcribed approximately 125 years ago. However, the original source material is estimated to date back nearly 300 years. The manuscripts, titled Sri Ramayana Katha, present a highly detailed retelling of Valmiki Ramayana in a dialogue format, making them more accessible to readers without extensive Sanskrit influence.
The discovered texts include Bala Kanda, Ayodhya Kanda, Aranya Kanda, Kishkinda Kanda, and Sundara Kanda, but Yuddha Kanda is missing. Many pages have deteriorated over time, with fungal growth due to prolonged storage. Restoration efforts, including chemical preservation and cleaning, are underway. Researchers believe that if permission is granted by the HR&CE Department, these texts could be copied and published for public access.
The discovery reinforces the historical significance of Valmiki Ramayana in Tamil Nadu alongside the widely revered Kamba Ramayana. It also highlights the tradition of reciting Valmiki’s version in Tamil households. The timing of this revelation, just a week before Sri Rama Navami, adds to its significance.
A bunch of manuscripts, containing the translation of Valmiki Ramayana, was discovered during the renovation work of Sri Kalahasteeswarar temple at Tiruppatur.
This contain 2075 palm leaves and has Bala Kanda, Ayodhya Kanda, Aranya Kanda, Kishkinda Kanda & Sundara Kanda of… pic.twitter.com/8JR1J6HulS
— 𑀓𑀺𑀭𑀼𑀱𑁆𑀡𑀷𑁆
(@tskrishnan) March 26, 2025
Tamil Nadu is home to 43,762 temples under the Hindu Religious Endowments Department, many of which hold ancient records in the form of palm leaf manuscripts, copper plates, and inscriptions. So far, only 1,771 temples have been examined, leading to the discovery of 178,000 scrolls, 390 literary manuscripts, and 95 copper plates. Of these, 50,028 manuscripts have been cataloged and preserved. Five books have already been published from these findings, reflecting ongoing efforts to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s rich historical and religious heritage.
(With Inputs From Dinamalar)
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