Sanskritic scholarship prevailed in Haryana, long before there was a Haryana. Part of the ancient Kuru-Panchala region known from the Rg Veda and the Mahabharata, Haryana has a small but rich legacy of Prakrit and Sanskrit inscriptions. These span a period of nearly 1400 years–from the times of Asoka to the Mamluk ruler Ghiyasuddin Balban. Traces of Buddhistic and Jaina traditions are found as well–some of which persist to this day. Haryana is also home to some important manuscript collections. In the last century, there has been special impetus for Sanskrit studies from unexpected quarters, especially in the study of Vedic ritual and Sanskrit grammar.