CCRAS, CSU Workshop Revives Rare Ayurvedic Manuscripts Through Transliteration

In a major boost to the preservation and advancement of India's classical medical heritage, the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) under the Ministry of Ayush, in collaboration with the Central Sanskrit University (CSU), New Delhi, has successfully completed a 15-day Transliteration Capacity Building Workshop on Ayurvedic Manuscripts in Kerala.

Held from 12 to 25 January 2026 at the CSU Puranattukara (Guruvayoor) Campus in Thrissur, the intensive residential programme brought together 33 scholars—18 from Ayurveda and 15 from Sanskrit—promoting a strong interdisciplinary approach to manuscript studies.

Preserving Knowledge, Building Capacity

Organised under the MoU between CCRAS and CSU, the workshop formed part of CCRAS's national initiative to document, digitise and enable research-based utilisation of classical Ayurvedic manuscripts. Participants received in-depth training in manuscriptology, palaeography, technical Ayurvedic terminology, and script orientation, with specialised Lipi Parichaya sessions focusing on Grantha and Vattezhuthu scripts.

A key highlight was the strong hands-on transliteration component, where scholars worked directly on original palm-leaf manuscripts. Training covered Grantha, Medieval Malayalam and Vattezhuthu, enabling participants to generate verified scholarly outputs within a short timeframe.

Five Rare Manuscripts Transliterated

As a major scholarly outcome, five rare and previously unpublished Ayurvedic manuscripts were successfully transliterated and are now available for advanced academic research. These include:

• Dhanwanthari (Vaidya) Chinthamani – 146 palm-leaf pages, transliterated from Grantha into Sanskrit

• Dravyashuddhi – 110-page Grantha manuscript transliterated into Sanskrit

• Vaidyam – 59-page Medieval Malayalam manuscript transliterated into Malayalam

• Roga Nirnaya (Part I) – 75 pages transliterated from Medieval Malayalam into Malayalam

• Vividharogangal – 78-page Vattezhuthu manuscript transliterated into both Malayalam and Sanskrit

Strengthening a National Effort

Addressing the valedictory session, Prof. Vaidya Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General of CCRAS, said the programme marked the second collaborative workshop with CSU under the Ayurveda Manuscript Research Initiative. He recalled that the first workshop, held at the CSU Puri Campus in Odisha, resulted in the transliteration of 14 Ayurvedic manuscripts, highlighting the expanding scale of the initiative.

Prof. K. K. Shine, Director of the CSU Guruvayoor Campus, along with Prof. K. Vishwanathan, reaffirmed CSU's commitment to continued collaboration with CCRAS—particularly in the systematic preservation and revival of Malayalam Ayurvedic manuscripts, a crucial component of India's regional medical traditions.

Broad Appreciation and Future Impact

The programme was coordinated by Prof. K. Vishwanathan (CSU) and Dr. Parvathy G. Nair (CCRAS). The valedictory function was attended by Dr. V. C. Deep, In-charge of the CCRAS–National Ayurveda Research Institute for Panchakarma (NARIP), along with senior officials, academicians, and subject experts.

The workshop was widely praised for its integrated Ayurveda–Sanskrit approach and its ability to deliver tangible research outputs within a limited timeframe. CCRAS noted that such initiatives are critical to strengthening evidence-based Ayurveda, conserving regional medical knowledge, and ensuring the long-term preservation of India's classical health sciences.