Dear friends,
Received today from my correspondent in Kashmir:
"
I just spoke with the Director of the museum ...He confirmed reports that the manuscripts, in the main, were not touched by the waters and remain safe. He additionally confirmed
that the manuscript covers were also never touched by the waters and remain completely safe!
"In trying to uncover the mystery of the gap between earlier reports and the most recent, it probably has to do with genuine concern, hearsay reports, armchair concern of
those who feel a custodial responsibility, media haste posited against the inarticulacy and lack of media reach of the administrative machinery of the government and the museum. Things will no doubt become clearer as the days go by, but in the end, it appears
the things are safe. But "seeing is believing", so I am looking forward to hopefully actually seeing the objects on the 20th or so."
I will keep you informed regarding what my friend learns next week.
all best,
Matthew
Matthew Kapstein
Directeur
d'études,
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes
Numata Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies,
The University of Chicago