Mahabharata, Rajatarangini and Arthashastra Added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Register

UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register includes manuscripts relating to the Mahabharata, Rajatarangini by Kalhana and Arthashastra by Kautilya. This decision was made at the 11th Session of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP), which was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 2nd to 6th November 2026. The dossiers for these nominations were developed by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the country now has a total of six inscriptions in its regional list.

Three Indian Manuscripts Included in Asia-Pacific Register by UNESCO

The three inscriptions include manuscripts that highlight India’s literary, historical and intellectual heritage.

These recognitions relate to specific manuscript documents. The dossiers were prepared by the IGNCA, an organisation under the Ministry of Culture.

What is UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme?

The Memory of the World (MoW) Programme launched by UNESCO in 1992 aims to safeguard and make accessible documentary heritage that holds significant historical, cultural and intellectual value.

This can include a wide range of media such as manuscripts, archives, rare books, photographs, film, sound recordings etc.

The MoW Programme aims to protect important documents from damage, neglect, destruction and loss whilst making them available to current and future generations.

Three Types of Register

The programme consists of three types of register,

1. International Register: For documentary heritage of global significance.
2. Regional Registers: For documentary heritage of significance to a certain geographical area.
3. National Registers: To identify and promote documentary heritage of significance to the nation.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Register is managed by the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP).

1. Rajatarangini by Kalhana

The Rajatarangini (River of Kings) is a Sanskrit historical text written by the Kashmiri historian Kalhana in 1148-1149CE during the rule of King Jayasimha.

It details the history of rulers, royal families, political events and socio-cultural aspects of Kashmir.

Key information about this document,

• Written by: Kalhana
• Language used: Sanskrit
• Time Period: 12th Century CE
• Script used: Sharada
• Material used: Birch bark (Bhurjapatra) from Kashmir
• It contains eight volumes or ‘Tarangas’:
• There are approximately 7826 verses.
• Preserved at: Oriental Research Library, Srinagar.

The Rajatarangini contains information gathered from previous chronicles, inscriptions and royal records to create a timeline of historical events in Kashmir. It is considered an important example of historical writing in medieval India.

2. Mahabharata

The Mahabharata is one of two great Sanskrit epics in India. It was traditionally written by Sage Vyasa and tells the story of the conflict between the Pandavas and Kauravas. It contains many themes relating to Dharma, duty, ethics, politics and human values.

This particular document is a birch bark manuscript that contains an older version of this epic from Kashmir.

Key information,

• Traditionally written by: Maharishi Ved Vyasa
• Language used: Sanskrit
• Main Story: Kurukshetra War
• Main Families: Pandavas and Kauravas
• Contains Bhagavad Gita: A philosophical text containing 700 verses discussing the relationship between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. This is part of the Bhishma Parva.
• Material used: Birch bark (Bhurjapatra)
• Preserved at: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI), Pune, Maharashtra.

This document is of great importance as it is an older text from Kashmir. It was obtained from Kashmir in 1875 by Indologist Georg Bühler. The Mahabharata has had an impact on the literary, performance and cultural traditions across South and Southeast Asia.

3. Arthashastra by Kautilya

This ancient Indian text contains information on how to govern a nation. It was traditionally written by Kautilya (also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta). He was connected to the Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.

Key Information,

• Written by: Kautilya (Chanakya/Vishnugupta)
• Traditionally associated with the Mauryan period – commonly dated to around the 4th Century BCE.
• Language: Sanskrit
• Topic: Governance, Administration, Economics and Military Tactics
• Contains 15 volumes, 150 chapters and 180 sections.
• Material used: Palm Leaf
• Script used: Grantha
• Preserved at: Oriental Research Institute, Mysuru, Karnataka.

The palm leaf manuscript that has been recognised by UNESCO is a complete manuscript from the 16th Century. The text also discusses key concepts within ancient Indian political thought.

Key Concepts within Arthashastra

Saptanga Theory: The seven elements of the state. These include Swami (ruler), Amatya (ministers), Janapada (land and people), Durga (fort), Kosa (treasury), Danda (army) and Mitra (ally).

Mandala Theory: Explains the relationships between neighbouring countries and foreign policy.

Shadgunya: Six methods of foreign policy. This includes Peace, War, Neutrality, War Preparation, Alliance and Dual Policy.

Four Upayas: Same (conciliation), Dana (gifts/concessions), Bheda (divide) and Danda (force/punishment).

Previously Listed Items from India

Prior to the additions in 2026, there were three items from India listed in the Asia-Pacific Register. This was during the 10th session of MOWCAP in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in 2024.

These were,

• Ramcharitmanas – An epic poem written by Tulsidas, detailing the life of Lord Rama.
• Panchatantra – An ancient text of animal fables.
• Sahrdayaloka-Locana – A Sanskrit text about Indian poetics.

The additions of the Mahabharata, Rajatarangini and Arthashastra manuscripts have brought the total number of items listed in the register to six.