Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: Senior BJP leader Raman Suri today hailed the inclusion of Kalhana’s historic Rajatarangini in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register, describing it as a moment of immense pride for Jammu Kashmir and the entire country. He said this international recognition has highlighted Kashmir’s centuries-old contribution to history, literature, knowledge and intellectual traditions. He added that the achievement establishes Jammu Kashmir not merely as a land known for its natural beauty and tourism but also as one of the important centres of India's ancient civilisation and scholarship.
Suri said Rajatarangini, written by the great Kashmiri historian Kalhana in the 12th century, holds a special place in India's historical literature. He described it as much more than a collection of accounts of kings and dynasties, saying it provides a detailed picture of Kashmir's political history, social life, culture and traditions. What makes this work particularly remarkable is Kalhana's effort to record historical events with fairness, objectivity and attention to facts. At a time when systematic historical documentation was rare, Kalhana made an exceptional contribution by presenting a continuous account of Kashmir's past.
Highlighting the importance of Rajatarangini, Suri said the work reflects the intellectual maturity and historical awareness of ancient Kashmir. He said Kalhana demonstrated that history should not simply praise rulers but should also record their achievements, failures and conduct honestly. This approach makes Rajatarangini an invaluable source for understanding the region's past and an important contribution to Indian historiography. He added that its recognition by UNESCO gives international visibility to Kashmir's literary legacy and reminds the world of the region's rich contribution to the development of historical writing and knowledge.
Suri also welcomed the recognition of a nearly 400-year-old Mahabharata manuscript written on Bhojpatra (birch bark), along with a rare manuscript of Kautilya's Arthashastra. Preserved at the Oriental Research Library in Srinagar, these manuscripts represent an important part of India's ancient knowledge tradition. He said their recognition, alongside Rajatarangini, highlights the deep historical and intellectual connections of Jammu Kashmir with the country's wider civilisational heritage. He stressed that these priceless documents are not merely old manuscripts but valuable records of India's literary, philosophical and cultural journey.
Calling the UNESCO recognition a collective achievement, Suri said it should inspire the government, educational institutions, historians and society to make greater efforts towards preserving and promoting Jammu Kashmir's historical treasures. He urged that the younger generation should be encouraged to study the works of Kalhana and other great scholars so that they remain connected with their roots. He said the international recognition of Rajatarangini is a reminder that Kashmir's greatest strength also lies in its intellectual heritage, which deserves to be protected, studied and presented before the world with pride.
