Kalāsampadā

The Kalāsampadā a digital repository of content and information integrated with a user-friendly interface, has been developed to encompass and preserve the rare archival collections of the IGNCA. The Kalasampada facilitates the scholars (users) to access and view the materials – over a couple of lakh of manuscripts, over one lakh slide, rare books, thousands of rare photographs, audio and video along with highly researched publications – of the IGNCA, from a single computer interface (window).

The project has received the prestigious GOLDEN ICON Award for Exemplary Implementation for e-Governance Initiative under category Best Documented Knowledge and Case Study for the year 2004 from the Ministry of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India.The IGNCA’s projects on computer aided content exploration systems will intensify Cultural learning and visualisation. The CD-ROMs on Devadasi Murai, Mukteswara Temple, Rock Art and Ajanta: A world heritage site from the Maharashtra have been published by the IGNCA. The CD-ROMs on Devanarayana (an oral tradition from Rajasthan), Two Pilgrims (life and work of Hungarian painters Padmashree Elizabeth Brunner and Mrs. Sass Brunner), Agnichayana, Vishwarupa, Brhadiswara Temple and Gitagovinda are in the different stage of development.

Kalāsampadā Digital Library- Resource for Indian Cultural Heritage (DL-RICH) project sponsored by the Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), Government of India.

View Photographs of Workshop held on 30-11-2005

Project aims to use multimedia computer technology to develop a software package that integrates variety of cultural information and helps the users (students, scholars, artists and Research & scientific Community etc.) to interact and explore the subject available in image, audio, text, graphics, animation and video on a computer in a non-linear mode, by a click of mouse. The system aims at being a digital repository of content and information with a user-friendly interface. The knowledge base such created will help the scholars to explore and visualize the information stored in multiple layers. This will provide a new dimension in the study of the Indian art and Culture, in an integrated way, while giving due importance to each medium. The IGNCA’s archival collection includes manuscripts, slides, rare books, photographs, audio and video along with highly researched publications of books, journals and newsletters.

These rare manuscripts, collected from different institutions of India and abroad are mainly in the form of microfilms and microfiche. Approximately 12000 rolls of microfilms (out of about 20000) have been digitised. The digitisation of microfiche started recently. Similarly, slides ( View Digital Images) are collected from the institutions like ACSAA, British Library, Victoria and Albert Museum etc. Slides over 100000 have been digitised. Rare Photographs digitised includes Rajah Deen Dayal collection, Sambhu Nath Saha collection etc. About thousand hours of Audio / Video Film & Video Documentation  (online audio / video) is available in digital form out of total collection of over 10000 hours. A part of theIGNCA’s publications (electronic books available) with the various volumes of News Letters (Vihangama) and Kalakalpa: Bi-annual Journal have been digitised.

The major activities of the project includes the digitization of materials, post digitization editing, high capacity storage & backup system, designing and development of effective retrieval system etc. Technology used for this development is based on Open standards using Unicode, a multilingual standards for fonts, accepted worldwide with open type fonts. Search is available both in English and Hindi (Devanagari). User have the option to select the material of his interest either from a specific type of collection like books, manuscripts, slides, audio, video etc or from the entire collections.

The facility is currently available only on intranet, for the very fact that these materials are priced possession, Intellectual Property Rights, and copyright issues, etc.. Although, partial information can be accessed from the IGNCA’s.