Question

How were manuscripts written in India before the age of print? Mention its drawbacks. ​

Answer 1

(i) In India, manuscripts were written on palm leaves or on handmade paper before the age of print.  

(ii) Pages were sometimes beautifully illustrated.  

(iii) They would be either pressed between wooden covers or sewn together to ensure preservation.  

(iv) Manuscripts continued to be produced till well after the introduction of print, down to the late nineteenth century.  

(v) Manuscripts, however, were highly expensive and fragile. They had to be handled carefully and they could not be read easily as script was written in different styles.