Context:
Manuscripts of Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register
Bhagavad Gita:
- Part of the Mahabharata, specifically within the Bhīṣmaparva (Chapters 23–40).
- Composed around the 2nd or 1st century BCE.
- Structured as a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
- Comprises 700 verses across 18 chapters.
- Themes include Dharma (duty), Karma (action), Bhakti (devotion), and Jnana (knowledge).
Natyashastra:
- Believed to have been codified around the 2nd century BCE by Bharatmuni.
- Known as Nāṭyaveda, comprising 36,000 verses.
- Covers drama (nāṭya), performance (abhinaya), aesthetic emotion (rasa), feeling (bhāva), and music (saṅgīta).
- Significance –
- Laid the foundation of Indian poetics, theatre, dance, and aesthetics.
- Integral to understanding ancient Indian performing arts.
UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme:
- Launched in 1992
- Aims to preserve and provide access to documentary heritage of outstanding universal value.
- India now has 14 entries in the Register.
- Rig Veda, Gilgit Manuscript, Manuscripts of Abhinavagupta, Maitreyayvarakarana, (a manuscript of the Pala period) etc. have also been included in the Register.
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
Which one of the following was the latest inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO ?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2024 Prelims]
(a) Chhau dance
(b) Durga Puja
(c) Garba dance
(d) Kumbh Mela
Answer: (c)