[Y-Indology] Vandalism and preservation: Michael Witzel

January 16, 2004

DL. Yes, in many respects you are right. Really, significant simplification

of the research activities with the electronic version of the text, edition,

manuscript, etc. (let alone safety of such edition, manuscript and so forth)

is closed for many researchers, including, by the way, for many

Euro-American visiting scholars. Creation of the electronic version in many

cases does not conduct to distribution of knowledge, research work is not

becomes easier, and the monumental constructive labourwork, for example, of

participants of Titus project , remains simply silly and useless because of

its closeness. I think, with sufficient humour the attempt to work in this

area of the Berlin library and Gunthard Mueller has been recognized.

However, many scientists who were taking part in such projects can be

understood - this work demands high qualification in different areas,

significant time and expenses on a standards of living of those countries in

which they work.

However there are also other examples, for example, the best in Internet

index of Dr. Reinhold Gruenendahl where are submitted set of texts for free

using - including results of European, Japanese, Indian and other

indologists. And such examples becomes more.

By the way, in particular and already for a long time a critical situation

are with the basic sources of a history of India, with epigraphy. These

sources you will not close in storehouse of manuscripts.

>From my side - I took part (as indologist and as advanced user) in one of

such attempts of cooperation on creation of electronic version Epigraphia

Carnatica in 1999. And for my part there were no special claims for

distribution of the electronic version of this edition. However the Indian

side, having invited me, has simultaneously preferred to charge with

execution to local programmers and the official from a science, extremely

incompetent. As a result of such management of the project and its

execution - have been spent money, but any result has not been received.

D.N. Lielukhine

-

vishalsagarwal <vishalsagarwal

Thursday, January 15, 2004 5:07 AM

[Y-Indology] Re: Vandalism and preservation: Michael Witzel

> INDOLOGY, "S.Kalyanaraman" <kalyan97>

> wrote:

> >

>

> VA: There has been a suggestion by Indologists that Indian libraries

> should allow digitization of manuscripts. Yes, it preserves them

> from total destruction. But there is a credible reason for sometimes

> not

> allowing that. I refer you to the following example, again, one in

> which Dr Bahulkar helped the researcher, and one which deals with

> oral recitations rather than manuscripts -

>

> http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa?

> A2=ind0311&L=indology&D=1&O=D&F=P&S=&P=4298

>

> Even though I can afford to buy the collection for USD 3200, I

> CANNOT because of restrictions imposed by the seller! Is this fair?

> How is knowledge and research being advanced

> by these medieval restrictions? How is this attitude different from

> the one exhibited by Brahmins who would die rather than teach the

> Vedas to a Sudra? The restrictions effectively prevents Indian

> libraries and educational institutions from purchasing them. I even

> wonder if BORI was gifted a copy, despite the services rendered by Dr

> Bahulkar. If the Brahmin recitors had known that their recitations

> would be sold in such a(n effectively) discriminatory manner, they

> would not have recited the texts for the Danish researcher. What the

> Copenhagen institute has done is, in my opinion, completely

> unethical. Is it not a kind of theft of cultural heritage of India?

> [At least,

> Gunthard Mueller had the courtesy of donating a set of CDs on

> Kashmirian Paippalada Samhita manuscript to the GOI.]

>

> Perhaps therefore, I wonder if it is ethical for Shrikant Bahulkar

> and Saroja Bhate to cooperate with and serve Euro-American visiting

> scholars if this is what we are going to get in return.

> Indologists have their own ways of preventing others from reading

> their own texts. Many texts in TITUS archives are password protected.

> Dr Witzel is on record for saying that he will not share his copy of

> Orissan recension of Atharvana Charanavyuha with me (though I got my

> own copy from Indian subsequently). One should practice what he

> preaches.

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Vishal

Links

>

> INDOLOGY/

>

> INDOLOGY

>

> Your

>

January 17, 2004

Dear members,

I would like to bring certain facts to your notice:

1. Mrs. Guni undertook a project of recording recitation of various Vedic

schools in 1982. I helped her in my individual capacity, out of genuine

academic interest and care for the preservation of the recitations of

renowned vedamuurtis. No Institute, including BORI, was officially involved

in the project. The project was completed by 1985. The project was

undertaken to preserve the tradition and not for making money.

2. On my suggestion, Guni donated in 1999 a complete set of audio recording

of six Vedic schools (.RV, KYV-Taitt, ;SYV-Madhyandina, Kaa.nva, Jaiminiiya

Nambidiri Saamaveda and AV;S) to the Veda;saastrottejaka Sabhaa, Pune of

which I have been a member of Executive Council. There have been a number of

demands for copies of the said recording. However, we cannot make them

available as Guni claims the copy right.

3. Veda;saastrottejaka Sabhaa has a project of recording all Vedic ;saakhaas

and making CDs available to scholars and lovers of veda. I have taken

initiative and have already recorded .RV recitation of Vedamuurti

Dinakarabha.t.ta Phadke and Kauthuma Saamaveda of Tamilnadu of Pt.

Vishvanath Sharma (I am not sure about the first name of the Pandit)for the

Sabhaa. Copies of the audio recording are available at reasonable price at

the office of Sabhaa.

4. We have a project of making CDs of the recording done by the Sabhaa. We

made an offer to Guni to authorise us to make CDs of the recording done by

her and assured her to make it academically sound and proposed to make it

available to public at reasonable price. Unfortunately, she declined the

offer and decided t do the job on her own.

5. I have already dissociated myself from her CD project and am in no way

responsible for the quality and price of the CDs.

6. I agree that the price of the CDs in Denmark is exhaurbitant. I have not

seen the CDs and cannot say anything about the quality.

7. These episodes have definitely taught us a lesson and we all should be

cautious in future.

-

"vishalsagarwal" <vishalsagarwal

Thursday, January 15, 2004 7:37 AM