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Show Those nights in Autsahai were cold and moist, the monkeys and bird chattered throughout the night logs howled and brayed, and I coul hear the monotonous waling of the Mohammedans at prayer. To add t had arranged a special programme for my entertainment, and every hou of my sojourn was devoted to pleasure and enlightenment Breakfast was served each moming in the ancient home of Mr. Asutos Gupta, a retired engineer, who lived within the high-walled court of th Marayan temple, erected more than three hundred years before by hi ancestor, Har Mohan Gupta. Mr. Gupta's son, Mr. Ardhendu Gupta, wa rightly proud of an ancient religious manuscript written on jute pape fabricated about two hundred and fifty years ago in this district. The pape of the manuscript retained the natural colour of the jute, unbleached dnd whennm made had been treated with copper sulphate to assure i whit llavmmm, (Lul o{ Han), lhe calhgmphy dating from 1682 A.D. Thi ‘manuscript, on Bengal paper, was the oldest in the village of Autsahai, bu the making of paper in this district antedated this volume by many While there are no records to prove the statement, the elder Mr. Gu the village historian, told me that one hundred years ago there were seve hundred and fifty families employed in making paper in this one section o Bengal. With deep feeling and concern he said that, had it not been for th Occidental papermaking machine, there would now be more than a thouand families in this same temitory carning their livelihood from this craft Digital image© 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah, All rihts reserved |