Sanskrit script?

[Christophe Vielle]

As for the former Princely State of Travancore, according to the 
testimony of the "Brief resume of the working of the department for 
the publication of oriental manuscripts" (Trivandrum, 1934), p. 1:
"Printing in Devanagari characters was not prevalent in Travancore 
four decades ago (...) His Highness Sri Mulam Tirunal, the late 
Maharaja, for the first time commanded the getting down of Nagari 
types for the Government Press. In doing so, His Highness's intention 
was to publish the manuscripts (Granthas) in the Granthappura 
(Library) in the Palace. At any rate, the introduction of printing in 
Devanagari was conducive to the development of general culture. It 
was first decided to print the Bhakti Manjari, (...) composition of 
His Most Gracious Highness Svati Tirunal (...)"
This was done in 1903. The work came out in 1904 from the Government 
Press (not numbered in the Trivandrum Sanskrit Series, of which the 
first volume was published in 1905). However, printing and publishing 
of Sanskrit works in Malayalam script never ceased in Kerala until 
today.

Christophe Vielle
institut orientaliste de Louvain
-- 
http://www.uclouvain.be/christophe.vielle
http://belgianindology.lalibreblogs.be