The Shikshapatri, a text sacred to the Swaminaryan community, is now online for scholars, community members and the general public. This site provides a wide variety of online resources which set the Shikshapatri in its historical, cultural and religious context. It is designed to help people of all backgrounds to better understand the significance of this manuscript, which receives hundreds of visitors every year.
The sites resources include a darshan view - especially for followers; study view - with audio and video; images; key concepts; biographies and articles.
The project - funded by the New Opportunities Fund and developed by the Bodleian Library, the Refugee Studies Centre and the OCHS - would not have been such a success if all the branches of the community had not worked together to offer advice and support. This aspect, and the collaborative ethos it engendered was an important part of the project. It helped scholars and community members alike appreciate what we can achieve if we are sensitive to each other's needs.
We have prepared an introductory video to the Shikshapatri for visitors who are new to the manuscript. It covers the history of the manuscript from Lord Swaminaryan in Nineteenth Century India, through to the present day and the creation of the Digital Shikshapatri.