Kyrgyzstan & India Launch Joint Epic Study

Kyrgyz and Indian scholars opened the International Center for Civilizational Studies, Manas and Mahabharata in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to compare the Kyrgyz epic Manas with the Indian epic Mahabharata. The center is a collaboration between the National Manas Academy and the Centre for Studies in International Relations from New Delhi.

Researchers will investigate the history, literature, philosophy, and cultural values within both epics, hoping to identify parallels and foster academic exchange. Seven Kyrgyz universities, including Kyrgyz National University and the American University of Central Asia, signed cooperation agreements to facilitate joint research and student exchange programs.

The opening coincided with the presentation of the first Hindi translation of the Manas epic, translated from a Russian adaptation by Kyrgyz People’s Writer Mar Baidzhiev. Organizers envision the center as a lasting platform for exploring cultural connections between Kyrgyzstan, India, and across Eurasia.