Libraries, Manuscripts and Board Games

Prelude:

Academic libraries across the globe are often found to contain manuscripts and/or rare books which are priceless treasures of board games. The study of the available ancient materials contained in the libraries, it is believed, would throw light on the existence, development, the popularity or the rules of certain games as also the role that the universities which host the libraries, could play in the development and spread of the board games. It is with this premise, the Board Game Studies organized- ‘Ludus in Academia’ colloquium in the year 2022 at Leewarden city, Netherlands. BGS called for papers from across the globe to discuss the role of libraries as knowledge repository of board games. In line with this, a study was conducted in the city of Mysore, Karnataka, South of India and this paper presents some of the findings. 

Mysore hosts one of the oldest University and even older library/s which are treasure troves of palm and paper manuscripts. How did the manuscripts come to be in the University libraries? Do these manuscripts relate to board games? If they do, do they teach the rules of the games? Is the script used in the manuscript easy to understand or do they constrain deciphering the games and the rules and thereby restrict its development and reach? What role does the academic community play in understanding and in popularizing the game-related knowledge are some of the issues that are discussed in this paper.

The Setting: 

The city of Mysore is known as a city of cultural and educational excellence and the city's realm is traced to the ruling by the Wadiyar dynasty (from 13th century onwards) who established many  institutions and libraries which host some of the rare and ancient collection of manuscripts. 

Among the Wadiyars, Krishanaraja Wadiyar III (1799- 1868), (a.k.a. Mummadi) has been revered as a doyen in the cultural, literary and board games. Mummudi encouraged scholars, poets, musicians, sculptors, and painters, from the State he ruled and those from other cities who sought shelter and support such as from Pune and Tanjore . He commissioned several pictures and line drawings and being a scholar in Kannada (the official language of the State) and Sanskrit (the classical language of South Asia), penned many works and commissioned artists to illustrate his manuscripts. 

Mummudii and the Kings in the Wadiyar lineage did much to establish schools of ancient studies and later those relevant to modern times and were chancellors of the University of Mysore, a much-acclaimed university that held centennial celebrations in 2016.  

Mummudi established a printing press in Mysore bringing lithograph technology into existence. The books printed in the litho press were hosted in the Palace library, the 'Saraswathi Bhandara' in which the works of many scholars and the collections of ancient palm leaf manuscripts and paper manuscripts were also kept.

Prior to the establishment of the press and later too, palm leaf manuscripts were in vogue. Palm leaf manuscripts, made out of dried and treated palm leaves of Borassus species (Palmyra palm) or the Ola leaf (leaf of Corypha umbraculifera or the talipot palm) were used to transform oral teaching into writing, the manuscripts are the oldest medium (of preserving data). 

Jagan Mohan Palace
 

In course of time, Saraswathi Bhandara became a storehouse of Sanskrit and Kannada books, manuscripts, etc. on a variety of subjects such as religion, philosophy, art and architecture, literature, etc.  A fire broke out in the year 1897 at the Palace, and parts of the old palace as also the Sarawathi Bhandara library suffered a huge loss. Efforts were made to replace the books, the loss was in the value of manuscript collection, with its antiquity. Saraswathi Bhandara came to be shifted to Jaganmohan Palace and re-shifted back to the Palace in 1905 and later, in 1928, to Maharaja Sanskrit College. 

Maharaja Sanskrit College

The Maharaja Sanskrit College was established by Mummudi  as an Institution for Sanskrit studies. It was given the status of a school in 1868 by Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar X.  The school was established in the present building in 1883  and has been instrumental in teaching Ayurveda (Indian System of Medicine), astrology, music, Sanskrit studies, Kavya (literature) Tarka (logic), Agama (ritual worship), Vyakarana (grammar), as part of Sanskrit studies. The college celebrated its Centenary in 1979.

Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar X established the Oriental Library in the year 1891, the oldest library which was established with the aim of preserving and promoting ancient Indian literature, art and culture. Materials and manuscripts written in Kannada and Sanskrit were collected from various parts of the erstwhile Mysore Kingdom as ordained by the Wadiyar.  To commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s Accession to the British throne, Jubilee Hall was built and the Oriental Library was housed in it.

Oriental Research Institute

The Oriental Library worked under the aegis of the education department of the government and was backed by the funds of the government which facilitated the collection of manuscripts.

The department of Archaeology, which was also housed in this building, had a collection of manuscripts which was also shifted to the Oriental Library as also some of the printed books available with the education department; this marked the opening of a section of printed books. Oriental Library became the first public library in Mysore region as scholars and researchers were given access to it. The books and manuscripts housed here are mainly related to literary works.

The library became a part of the University of Mysore in 1916 when the University was established. With this, the library saw expansion in terms of appointment of scholars as also curator/s. In the year 1943, the name of the library was changed to Oriental Research Institute. The scholars concentrate on Smriti, Vedantha, Ayurveda (Hindu religious texts and Indian system of medicines). Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian manuscripts are available. There have been efforts to digitise the material by converting them to microfilm.

During 1963-64, considering the vast and extraordinary manuscripts that were available, two sections, one of Kannada and the other of Sanskrit were formed and the Kannada manuscripts were shifted to the Kannada Adayana Samsthe (Institute dedicated to the study of Kannada) that is the Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies (KIKS). The sections, based on language, were separated on 20th February 1966-67.   

Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion

Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies

Connected to the KIKS is a Folklore Museum housed within Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion, a heritage building which has been restored twice in recent past. The mansion is a heritage structure and is a part of the University of Mysore. The Folklore Museum was established in the year 1968.

 The folklore museum that contains representative collections of art and crafts from all over Karnataka. There are a few board games that are on display here and they do not necessarily relate to the games described in the manuscripts that are available at KIKS. 

Manuscripts of Board Games:

Of the Institutions and Libraries discussed above, Saraswathi Bhandara continues to be in the private domain of the erstwhile royal family.  Access to this is difficult. The figures relating to the manuscripts available here shows that there were 2724 palm leaf manuscripts and 5987 printed books (figures relate to Sixties, available at the Archives). 

At the ORI, there are as many as 22,146 manuscripts. Of this, 7543 are paper and 14,603 are palm leaf manuscripts (as on March 8th 2022). 

Manuscripts at ORI

At the KIKS, there are 2485 palm leaf manuscripts, and 1442 are paper manuscripts (as on January 12th 2022). Paper manuscripts – total of 1442, of which 821 are big and 621 are small.  

So far 9 volumes have been published as descriptive catalogues (three are four still to be done) at KIKS and in these two manuscripts related to games- one pf palm leaf and another paper.

Manuscripts at KIKS

At the ORI, one and at KIKS two works relating to board games have been found. The board game-related work at ORI is on palm leaf and at KIKS there is one on palm leaf and the other is on the paper manuscript. The palm leaf manuscript of games available/preserved at both the institutes are the same and relate to Sritatvanidhi, which is a compendium dealing with different themes of traditional knowledge and is said to be 150 years old. Sritatvanidhi  meaning The Illustrious Treasure of Realities is an encyclopedic treatise and is in nine volumes , the last one named Kauthukanidhi (Kauthuka means curiosity, interest, pleasure) covers board games, card games and puzzles/pastimes.  

Kautukanidhi illustrates different types of Ganjupha (playing cards, the playing dice and also mathematical puzzles in Sanskrit verses. The types of Ganjuphu referred to here are Chamudesvari, Navagraha, Devisasavatara, Pancapandava, Dikpala, Manohara, Sarvamangala and Navaratna. Many of the Ganjifa works were said to be designed by the Maharaja himself -such as Chamundeshwari Ganjifa, Jaganmohana Ganjfa, Dashavatara Ganjifa etc. There are different varieties of game of dice too. However, the Kautukanidhi, as also the Sritatvandihi of which it is a part, are without any pictorial drawings of the games. This is true of the copies of Sritatvanidhi available at both ORI and KIKS. 

Sritatvanidhi has been in possession of ORI since 1954 (Ref: Ledger 4. Page35). The manuscript measuring 15”x11.5” is of a broad royal size paper. It has the appearance of a printed book. The folios are not bound together. All the folios have the text on both sides in the Kannada script. But the scripts are Devanagari and Kannada modi lipi, respectively Sritatvandidhi at KIKS has been in existence since 1966.

Kautukanidhi copy available at ORI (left) and Kautukanidhi copy at KIKS (right)

The paper manuscript that is available at KIKS is titled Chaduranga Chakra, with 96 pages. There are games and puzzles, more of the latter than the former. Highly competent artists have illustrated the games and puzzles.

Both the paper and the palm leaf manuscripts are conserved at both the Institutes in a systematic way. Palm leaf text lasts for a long time but need to be carefully preserved as they decay due to dampness, insect activity, mold and fragility. The paper manuscripts are laminated and kept between plastic sheets, preserving this seems to be more difficult than preserving the palm leaf ones

The palm leaf manuscripts are subjected to a bi-monthly process which involves spreading a layer of citronella oil, on the leaf, using cotton. The treated leaves are placed in a fumigation chamber which has timer. Designated staff who are trained in this are assigned the job. 

Palm Leaf Manuscripts being preserved at KIKS

Palm Leaf Manuscripts being preserved at ORI

Fumigation Chamber at ORI

Epilogue: 

A study of the two libraries has shown that there are collection of many manuscripts of undeniable value. Some of the old and rare works have been carefully edited and published by both the libraries and these relate mainly to literary works. 

The game related manuscripts, though limited in number are also hosted by both the academic libraries. Though they are carefully preserved, the information available in them have not been deciphered. This is owning to the engagement of the academic community in processing the vast number of material/s and their attention is on those that would add value to the gamut of literary works and help the student community in furthering their academic pursuits.  

Both the libraries of the ORI and KIKS are continuously bringing out descriptive catalogues. KIKS has so far brought out 9 volumes of descriptive catalogues and would be bringing out four more to cover the rest of the available materials; the corresponding ones at the ORI are 17 and 6. Given this, it would be a long time before the academic community involves itself in processing the game related manuscripts and popularize them.  

In academic parlance, it is said that any information/data is useful when the parameters of  Availability, Usability, Quality, Accessibility and Utility are met.  This is applied here to the Board Game Manuscripts that are available at the University libraries in Mysore. 

That Board Game Manuscripts are available at Libraries/Institutions which are more than a century old is by itself a useful finding. A cursory look at the game related manuscripts makes it clear that they are of invaluable legacy. Since they have not been deciphered and therefore not useable, it is not possible to delve into the specification related to the rules of the game and what it proposed to teach, much of which would have thrown light on the tradition of the times.     

Rather than assuming that there are manuscripts that are available on games is innately or universally useful, specific attempts have to be made to bring this to the fore of usability.  This has posed a challenge as the explanations to deciphering the games, as seen in the manuscripts, are based on slokas (couplet of Sanskrit verse) and the language of the script is old Kannada (not the one in usage) which is interspersed with other languages such as Telugu and Urdu.  At present, the board- game information that is available is maintained in a form that is quite alien to most of the communities, thus restricting its usability.

Added to this is the quality aspect. Manuscripts are being conserved methodically and regularly but the palm leaf manuscript at KIKS is of poor quality. The paper manuscript at KIKS is maintained well. Of late, there have been attempts at digitizing the manuscripts, thus ensuring longevity and sustainability. The quality of information is an important factor that determines its utility.

The manuscripts can be accessed by the academic community and to a limited extent by the general public. The aspect of access has to be resolved beyond the physical infrastructure. Language, device and game literacy will shape the accessibility of the board game related manuscripts. Physical infrastructure as also governance issues limit accessibility of the manuscripts, as also the games exhibited at the Folklore museum. Script used also deters usage and converting it into publication material, thus deterring its utility.

The question of how to make the game board related information useful in the context of a specific community- students, visitors to the libraries – can be easily addressed. This is owning to the fact that the academic libraries have become centres showcasing palm leaf manuscripts and the processes taken to preserve the leaves. This could be used as a way by which the academic community can help create awareness and access to the board game related manuscript. A beginning can be made to cover students and visitors to the libraries. The footfall is on the higher side. Per day there are around 200 people visiting the libraries from across the State. But for this, the first step would be to make available literature of games in the esteemed libraries of the University in a manner that is easy to understand.  Otherwise, we will lose something that is very precious.