Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: A high-stakes digitization project kicked off at the Shri Shri Madhupur Dham Satra in Cooch Behar, West Bengal. Teams are scanning rare Sanchi-pat bark manuscripts to protect them for future generations. The work secures a vital piece of Assam's spiritual history. This effort follows a July 8 planning session between a delegation including AASU advisor Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharjee, president Utpal Sarma, general secretary Samiran Phukan, Assam Jatiya Bidyalay Educational Trust secretary Dr. Narayan Sarma, and Nanda Talukdar Foundation secretary Mrinal Talukdar.
The project realizes the goal of the late Satradhikar, Shri Shri Lakshikanta Mahanta Prabhu. He spent years pushing the Assam government to use modern, scientific preservation methods. While the current Satradhikar receives medical treatment, Deka Satradhikar Shri Shri Madhav Deva Mahanta Prabhu stepped in to oversee the collaboration. The technical team, directed by Mrinal Talukdar, arrived on August 1 with specialized gear. They expect to wrap up the digital archiving by August 2.
Devotee and Ashis Nirmali Award recipient Jiten Dolakasharia helped coordinate the logistics. The move effectively shuts down a false April 23 report claiming the manuscripts were destroyed. Satra leadership warned the public against spreading such rumors. They stated, "refrain from circulating unverified reports that could undermine the reputation and historical significance of Madhupur Dham Satra." The institution remains a protected monument to the culture of the region.
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