Palm leaf manuscripts collection in Daluggolla Rajamaha Viharaya in Kandy district: A Bibliographical Study

Abstract

The palm leaf manuscripts can be identified as one of the main information sources for studying and exploring of indigenous knowledge. Presently, information sources (printed and electronic) are widely published and available in the society as a result of the development of information and communication technology as well as the development of printing and publishing industry. There are a number of standard methods exist to search and access bibliographical information such as card catalogues, online catalogues, and online public access catalogues. However, researchers and other readers / users who use or study palm leaf manuscripts face difficulties due to the unavailability of bibliographical tools (i.e. card catalogue, bibliographies) to search information about palm leaf manuscripts. This research fills these gaps. The objectives of this research are threefold, (i) to identifys and understand specific bibliographical information of palm leaf manuscripts collection, (ii) to identify various subject areas of palm leaf manuscripts and (iii) to compile a complete bibliographical tool i.e. Bibliography of Palm Leafs. In this study, the qualitative research methodology was used to gather and analyse data. The collection of palm leaf manuscripts in Daluggolla Rajamaha Viharaya, which is situated in the kandy district in the central province has been selected as a study sample. By visiting and observing palm leaf manuscripts collection of said temple, this study identified specific bibliographical information. The identified bibliographical information has been arranged according to the alphabetical order. This study also used other qualitative data collection techniques such as observation and interviews. Secondary data collection techniques were used in this research to validate data. By carefully studing more than 86 palm leaf manuscripts in dalluggolla Rajamaha viharaya, this study found that a number of subject areas of palm leafs such as pali, sanscrit, grammer, ayurvedic medicine, religious, and astronomy. Maha Sathipattana Suthrha, Piriwana Poth Wahanse, and Jathaka Katha Poth Wahanse have been identified as very famous palm leaf manuscripts in Daluggolla Rajamaha Viharaya. Moreover, this study identified that some similarities among palm leaf manuscripts. For example, the phrase “namo thassa bagawatho arahatho samma sambuddhassa” appeared at the beginning of the most of the palm leafs. Similarly, the authors or writers, wishers or hopes appeared at the end of the palm leafs. Sinhala Alphabet has been used for organizing palm leaf manuscripts in Daluggolla Rajamaha viharaya. A key outcome of this study is the compilation of a bibliography of palm leaf manuscripts in the Daluggolla Rajamaha viharaya. Identified bibliographical data such as title, language, the number of pagers, notation, width and height of pathiru, kambaya, sakiya, huya and time were arranged according to the alphabetical order. Findings of this study help to guide organize and preserve palm leaf manuscripts in Sri Lanka.