Maharaja Serfoji’s Sarasvati Mahal Library and Research Centre Thanjavur Maharaja Serfoji’s Sarasvati Mahal Library and Research Centre, one of the ancient libraries in India, established in the year 1535, registered phenomenal growth under the patronage of Maharaja Serfoji (1798-1832). Thanjavur Maharaja Serfoji’s Sarasvati Mahal Library and Research Centre which has been functioning under the control of the District Collector of Thanjavur from 1918, has been registered in 1986 under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975. This library has about 47,334 palm leaves and manuscripts in Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit, Marathi and English languages. In addition to this, it contains a collection of books, maps, paintings on all aspects of literature, art and culture. Sarasvati Mahal Library For the development of this library and welfare of staff, the Government of Tamil Nadu increased the maintenance grant from Rs.40.00 lakhs to Rs.75.00 lakhs in the year 2013-14. To upgrade this library as an International Research Library, an expert committee under the leadership of Hon’ble Minister of School Education was constituted in the year 2013. In order to make the palm leaves and rare books accessible to the public and researchers, Rs.7.50 lakhs was sanctioned to digitize the palm leaves and rare books during 2014-15.
