The Tamil Nadu government has declared the Thanjavur Maharaja Serfoji’s Sarasvati Mahal Library and Research Centre as a library of historical and cultural importance. It has also classified it as an aided library of the Tamil Nadu Public Libraries Rules, 1950.
The grants for the library would have to be used for research and publications, conservation of manuscripts, library/museum upkeep and maintenance, preservation of manuscripts, digitisation of manuscripts and administration, according to a notification by the School Education Department.
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Tucked away inside the historic Thanjavur Palace, the Sarasvati Mahal Library is a repository of palm leaf/ paper manuscripts and books in Tamil, Sanskrit, Marathi, Telugu, Hindi, English, French, German and Italian languages. It is regarded as one of the greatest Oriental manuscript libraries in the world and among the oldest libraries in Asia.
It is believed the collections of the palace library began in the 16th century under the Nayak rulers of Thanjavur (1535–1675 CE) and expanded by the Marathas.
