България и Индия в книги и архивни документи от Националната библиотека „Св. св. Кирил и Методий“
Bulgaria and India in Books and Archival Documents of the St. St. Cyril and Methodius National Library

Summary/Abstract: The National Library in Sofia keeps a rich collection of manuscripts, some of which reflect the medieval Bulgarians' views about the Hindustan peninsula and its inhabitants. A dozen of these documents describe the campaign of the great Alexander of Macedon on the far side of the Indus River. The Ganges River is mentioned by the Bulgarian writer John the Ekzarh in his essay written at the end of the 9th or beginning of the 10th century.The Bulgarian historical archives at the Library are known, above all, as archives of the Bulgarian Revival. Fonds No. 1 in these archives is the “Georgi Rakovski” collection. Rakovski was a great 19 th century Bulgarian revolutionary, ideologist of the national liberation and writer. He insisted that the Bulgarian nation moved to its present territory from India, that the Bulgarians were the “purest descendants of the Aryans”, and that Old-Hindi Sanskrit bore great similarity to the Bulgarian language. Also popular was the collection of Bulgarian folk songs and legends “Veda Slovena”, published by Stefan Verkovich in 1874 (volume 1) and in 1881 (volume 2). This collection, often seen as spurious mentions the names of Vishnu, Agni and Durga, and other characters from Hindu mythology.Prince Alexander Battenberg, the first ruler of the Third Bulgarian State, was linked to British plans for India following his abdication due to Russian pressure.Old manuscripts and documents from the collections of the National Library show how Bulgarians saw India in connection with bright historical figures – from Emperor Alexander of Macedon to Prince Alexander Battenberg.

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