Foreword
Orissa State Museum is exceedingly rich in palmleaf manuscript heritage. More than thirty seven thousand rare palmleaf manuscripts have been preserved in the manuscript section. Illustrated palmleaf manuscripts are some of the pride possessions of the museum as well. These manuscripts have been categorized into twenty seven sections like 1.Veda, 2. Tantra, 3.Jyotisha, 4.Dharmasastra, 5.Ayurveda, 6.Ganita. 7.Silpasastra, 8.Samgita, 9.Abhidhana, 10. Vyakarana, 11.Sanskrit Purana, 12.Sanskrit Kavya, 13.Alamkara, 14.Bengali (Sanskrit), 15.Bengali, 16.Devanagari, 17.Oriya Purana, 18. Oriya Kavya, 19.Oriya Prose, 20. Oriya Historical Literature, 21.Sanskrit Paper Manuscripts, 22. Oriya Paper Manuscripts, 23. Arabic Manuscripts, 24.Darsana Manuscripts, 25. Telugu manuscripts, 26.Copied Manuscripts and 27.Illustrated Manuscripts.etc.
Two hundred and ten Geetagovinda manuscripts have been preserved in the section. For the first time, an exclusive and exhaustive descriptive catalogue of Geetagovinda manuscripts, has been published to facilitate research on the popular theme of Geetagovinda which was composed by famous saint poet Shree Jayadeva in 12th Century A.D. who was born at Kenduli village (Ancient Kenduvilva) of Khorda district (erstwhile Puri district). We also find a large number of illustrated Geetagovinda manuscripts with paintings in colour and black and white. The portrait of Radha Krishna and Dasavatara are unique in the palmleaf paintings of Geetagovinda manuscripts. A rare Geetagovinda manuscript written on ivory which has been declared as a National Treasure by Govt. of India has been preserved in the palmleaf section.
Preface
Jayadeva's Geetagovinda stands unparalleled in Indian literature. Infact he is the last classical and first modern poet of India. He wrote in Sanskrit but not with the usual classical fervour. He infused a new idiom and diction in his classic poetic compositions. The theme of the poem is the pain of separation in love. It concentrates on Krishna's love with Radha in an enchanting spring. Jayadeva has used intense earthly passion to express the complexities of divine love. The Geetagovinda is expressed as a cycle of songs with classical ornamentation. Jayadeva adopted the musical meters of vernacular poetry to create sensation in his Kavya.
Sri Jayadeva was one such celebrated luminary of the 12th century, who not only dazzled the field of Sanskrit literature and music but also the whole cultural syndrome of India, by composing the famous lyric Glagovinda. No other poet of medieval India can claim to have achieved such abiding immortality and imperishable distinction as Sri Jayadeva. The Gragovinda is considered as an invaluable gem in he Sahskrit literature. The world over its impact on the works of his contemporaries nd the writers of the subsequent period is immense.
