Bhubaneswar, Feb 29 (PTI) The Customs Department on Thursday handed over palm leaf and paper manuscripts to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) here.
Sanjay Pant, principal chief commissioner of GST, central excise and customs, Bhubaneswar zone, handed over the manuscripts to representatives of the ASI in the virtual presence of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The palm leaf manuscript and the paper manuscript were seized in 2019 and 2020 while being attempted to be exported to Spain and France respectively, Pant said.
The palm leaf manuscript, with 155 leaves and hard wooden supporting covers on both sides, has classical Champu composition in modern Odia script and language and is expected to date to the 19th or 20th century, he said.
Champu is one of the most important works in Odissi music.
The paper manuscript, with 17 leaves made of hand-made paper, has Buddhist texts written in the Devanagari script. PTI BBM BBM ACD
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