An Introduction To Pnuthi -The Ancient Bengali Manuscripts
Keywords: Bengali, Bangla, Punthi, manuscripts, scripts
Ancient periods depended more on the manual works rather than upon machinery and it reflected on the ancient literatures as well; prints, being more recent a phenomenon, like many other ancient texts, Bengali books also used to be handwritten. A sharp contrast to the run-of-the-mill trend, these copies were made on demand and required special skills.
The handwritten scripts are called pandulipi in Bengali; the material on which they were inscribed was either grey or pale yellow in color. This is one of the reasons behind the name pandulipi, since pandu stands for yellow in Bangla and lipi, for writing.
The material used to be specially processed leather, leaves or barks from trees; during the latter times i.e. the medieval period, paper made from cotton-pulps, hemp, and linseed showed up.
This facilitated the making of large sheets, which were then cut to the required size and tied together with strings to give it the appearance of a book, with two firm boards sufficing for covers.
The Pnuthis so far discovered in Bengal have Sanskrit or Bangla as the language; those written in Bangla used the old Bangla Script.
Inscribed by the professional scribes of yore, they also used to add their personal details at the end of the pnuthi as a kind of an acknowledgement or disclaimer, from which, it was discovered that a lot of Muslims also earn their livelihood through the profession.
A good handwriting was the primary criteria and so was accuracy, but without a good knowledge on the language, the first two qualities were considered to be vain. However, a shortcoming on the latter part proved beneficial in terms of interpolations and textual variants. But a lot of people hold counter-opinions regarding the limited knowledge of the language of certain scribes for denoting the date of the creation in verse riddles instead of numerical figures required a lot of talent and depth.
A pnuthi has a certain anatomy; while the chief portion comprised the main body text, the part where the scribe used to flaunt his own wordsmithry comprise of the following parts:
Bhonita or pre-amble: Describes the name of the book and the writer; a variant of Pushpika.
Pushpika or colophon: Generally found on the first leaf, at the end of the chapter or act, and on the last folio, the Pushpika is a short, composite work made of a brief autobiography of the writer, the name of the puthi, the date of writing/copying and the name of the person who is the provider of the task.
When it is on the first folio or at the end of a chapter or an act, the Pushpika contains the names of the scribe and the book whereas in last folio, the former content is placed along with the dates of writing or copying.
Being treasures of immense value, nowadays, many of the educational institutions are preserving the original ones and making microfilms out of them; though the act shall preserve these great works of art for many more days to come, nothing can be done now regarding bringing back the scribes, who have now become extinct due to the industrial advancements.
Ostom Ray is a translator. His website www.indianscripts.com/ provides information on Indian languages and translation services. His blog on Indianscripts motso.wordpress.com is filled with information on anything and everything about Indian Languages, Culture, Travel, Outsourcing and more.
Previous Articles Highlighter:
The Value Of Signage Branding (1)
There are some businesses that commit the common mistake of neglecting the importance of signages and allow it to develop into a dilapidated state. Dont make that same error.
The Stages Of Foreclosure Home Sale (2)
A period is provided to the pre-foreclosure homeowner to respond to the bank about whether he would be able to manage to pay back the debts or get a buyer for his home or property.
Foreclosure Law 101 For Homeowners (3)
The bank can apply for a judicial foreclosure by filing a lawsuit, in order to get the court order for the foreclosure. Once the court declares foreclosure on the property, the bank repossesses the property and puts it up for sale to settle the debt.
Commercial Foreclosures - Guide For Investors (4)
When a bank or a lender has a commercial foreclosure on their hands they tend to quickly put it up for sale to the public. They obviously want to get rid of it as quickly as they can because they are not making any profit on it.
Why You Should Have Your Own Biodiesel Kit (5)
Biodiesel is processed fuel that derives from biological sources such as vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel as a processed fuel differentiates it from the use of straight vegetable oil or waste vegetable oil as alternative fuels.
Middle School Science Fair Projects (6)
Four Eyes? Oh Please! Everyone knows someone who wears glasses. All you need for this science project is a friend or two who wear glasses. Then before the fair, a poster board could be made with a picture of the eye, the different parts (Retina, cornea, etc) labeled, and a brief description on how we see things.
How To Locate Bank Foreclosure Lists (7)
Keywords: Homebuyer, Real Estate, FSBO, For Sale by Owner, Sell Your Home Fast, Brokerage, Foreclosure Bank foreclosure lists are great tools that are essential, if you are interested in buying property and investing in foreclosure real estate.
How To Start A Home Business For $100 Or Less (8)
Although some companies want you to have a web site, it is not by any means required to begin to represent many quality products and services. Some companies will even help you by making an entire site for you - you only have to register a domain name and point it to their site!
Camping In A Tent (9)
First you will need to know what size of a tent that you will need. You need to know how many people will be sleeping in the tent. There are many different sizes of tents out on the market today.
Avoid Disaster By Starting A Side Business (10)
I believe we would see more dedicated workers and a stronger American economy. How exciting is it for Co-workers to start their own business together outside of work. I believe that if done properly with respect to your time and effort you promised your employer, you can create a great deal of happiness.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
2007 Maserati Quattroporte Automatic (1)
You will always benefit of the optimal environment due to the airflow distribution pattern. The windows are manufactured from a special glass that prevents the heat as well as the sunshine from entering, so it is like having huge sunglasses with maximum UV protection that also keeps you cool.
Free Advertising And Why Its So Good (2)
You can easily earn up to one hundred credits in a very short period of time. Classified ad sites are another hot spot for great free traffic. When posting a free classified you can talk about anything you want, and you can even leave your contact information.
Updates On The Air Force AH-1Z And UH-1Y Aircraft (3)
Colonel David J. Anderson, the H-1 program's assistant program manager for Systems Engineering, "followed by an over-night teardown and inspection. Tuesday, after the Bell team put everything back together, we took it up to 120 knots." Bell's Advance Programs unit has been exploring ways to improve survivability of the Cobra for several years, developing a solution by managing the exhaust flow and integrating off-the-shelf components, then turning the exhaust away from the helicopter's tail boom." "This is the culmination of over a year of design integration effort by a team of dedicated professionals," said Tom Mast, a Bell design engineer on the program.
Federal Student Loan Consolidation In 2007 (4)
But, as important as it is to get the financial means that you need, you also have to keep in mind that the loan will have to be repaid eventually.
This Forex Tip Could Be Worth Its Weight In Gold (5)
Many experienced traders recommend starting off with a mini forex account to minimize your losses while you get acclimated. The forex forum is meant to be the place where traders from around the globe can relay information and ideas.
Never Underestimate The Importance Of Forex Training (6)
Armed with this valuable information you will increase your chances of being successful in the forex and making money doing it. Scott Fromherz owns multiple informational websites. For more information on Forex Training go to TopForexSystem.com or visit www.ArticleAdvocate.com
Fine Gourmet Flavored Coffee Beans Are A Wonderful Treat (7)
The many different varieties of gourmet flavored coffee beans available for each season and special occasions are the highlight of many a coffee lover. If you are the type of person who wants a touch of chocolate or other flavor in your coffee it is not hard to find just the perfect brand of gourmet coffee especially during the holiday season.
Cheap Flights Boost Malta Holiday Market For 2007 (8)
In the month before Ryanair started cheap flights to Malta tourist numbers dropped by some ten per cent. 'If promoting Malta was left down to the tourist authority, the island would disappear from UK travel agent brochures and Malta would be relegated to niche travel status.
Florida Tent Camping (9)
You can afford to stay twice as long on vacation with this type of accommodation verses staying at a hotel or motel. The busy season for camping in Florida are the fall and winter months.
Difficult Employees Can Be Draining, But There Are Ways To Work With Them (10)
Often, misunderstandings and lack of communication are at the root of difficulties with other people. Always making sure the employee understands you and visa versa. If you can, regularly meet with this individual.
Permalink to An Introduction To Pnuthi -The Ancient Bengali Manuscripts