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Time of India
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Buxar to hold 3-day workshop on ancient Kaithi script in Aug
Buxar: Aiming at raising awareness about Kaithi and preserve the legacy for future generations, Sitaram Upadhyay Museum, Buxar, and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach), Patna Chapter, will jointly organise a three-day training-cum-workshop on the ancient script of Bihar from Aug 2 to 4 here. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Announcing this on Thursday, Sitaram Upadhyay Museum curator Shiv Kumar Mishra said that the registration for the workshop will begin on July 18 at the museum. Participation is limited, and priority will be given to professionals involved in land and legal documentation — such as revenue officials, 'amin', 'kanungo', advocates and bank employees — since the Kaithi script holds significant relevance in land-related matters. Mishra said that the ongoing land survey by the Bihar govt requires reading of historical documents written in Kaithi, a skill that is currently lacking among most stakeholders. This knowledge gap poses challenges in processing land records and obtaining loans based on such documentation. Art and culture officer of Buxar district, Pratima Kumari, said the Kaithi script is a valuable cultural heritage of Bihar. Evidence of the script dates back nearly 1,000 years but from the era of Sher Shah Suri, Kaithi became widely used for land and legal records. Historical figures such as Veer Kunwar Singh and the maharaja of Darbhanga also used the Kaithi script for land deeds. However, in today's context, even advocates and judicial officials often lack the necessary script literacy, complicating legal adjudication of land disputes — one of the most common issues pending in Bihar's courts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now To preserve this valuable linguistic heritage, Mishra and his team have conducted numerous training and awareness programmes across Bihar in cities like Patna, Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, Nawada and Begusarai. Bihar revenue department has also taken an initiative to train its employees, with two young trainers — Pritam Kumar and Waqar Ahmed — leading the govt sessions across various districts.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Kaithi script training centre to be set up at Buxar museum
Buxar: A dedicated training centre for the Kaithi script will be set up within a month at the Sitaram Upadhyay Museum in Buxar, museum curator Shiv Kumar Mishra announced on Thursday. The move comes as the state govt undertakes a statewide land survey, where a key obstacle has been the inaccessibility of historical records written in Kaithi. Once widely used across the state, the Kaithi script is now understood by very few, making it difficult for officials to interpret crucial land documents. "The widespread unfamiliarity with Kaithi is causing delays in loan processing and judicial decisions related to land disputes," said Mishra. Kaithi has been in use in the region for nearly a thousand years. One of its earliest known inscriptions, dated to the 9th or 10th century, is located at the Baijnath Shiva Temple in Kaimur district. Others have been found in Srinagar (Madhepura) and Andharathadhi (Madhubani). Two rare inscriptions, featuring Kaithi, Bengali and Nagari scripts, are also engraved on the gates of the Bateshwar Shiva Temple in Bhagalpur. The script served as the official medium for land records during Sher Shah Suri's reign and remained in use during the time of Veer Kunwar Singh. Zamindars in regions like Darbhanga also used it to document their estates. Despite its historical significance, a lack of Kaithi proficiency among land officials, legal professionals and bank staff has led to bottlenecks in administration and justice. "Functional literacy in Kaithi is essential for resolving land disputes," Mishra said. To address this, training and awareness programmes have been held nationally and internationally. Thousands have participated in workshops in Patna, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Nawada and Begusarai. The state revenue department has begun formal training, aided by experts Pritam Kumar and Waqar Ahmed. A learning booklet has also been published. Institutions such as the Maithili Sahitya Sansthan, Bihar Archaeological Council, INTACH and CIIL Mysuru are supporting the effort. Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University now offers a six-month certificate course in the script. "Our mission continues. By promoting Kaithi literacy, we intend to preserve a vital part of Bihar's cultural heritage and restore its practical utility," Mishra said.
