Puducherry: For the first time since it's inception, the French Institute of Pondicherry has thrown open its store house of research and historic information to the public.

At the first 'Open Day," an exhibition on it's activites and resources, public had a rare opportunity to make themselves aware of various activites and visit several deparments of the institute, including Indology, Ecology and social science on the occasion.

People had also got an opportunity to known how ancient manuscripts on Palm leaf were being preserved using lemon grass oil.

The institute continues its process of digitising and cataloguing the ancient manuscripts on palm leaf which were on display at the exhibition.

The manuscripts at the institute comprise of 8187 palm leaf bundles, 360 paper codices and 1144 paper transcripts. Already 1144 transcripts have been digitised in collaboration with Mukthabodha Indological Research Institute and the Ecole Francaise d' Extreme Orinet, according to Mr Valayoudham Marimotu, Director of the Institute.