As floodwaters recede in parts of Assam, conservation experts are working against time to preserve centuries-old handwritten manuscripts damaged by water and fungal growth at the historic Gajala Satra in Medhijan village, Sivasagar district.
A team from Gauhati University has launched an emergency conservation effort to restore rare manuscripts written on sanchi leaves, some of which are believed to be more than 300 years old. The priceless texts, regarded as an important part of Assam's literary and Vaishnavite heritage, were submerged during recent floods and are now at risk of irreversible deterioration.
