This page gives you an overview of each of the Hindu Archive projects.
For the first time, the experiences of Hindus who have settled in Britain are being recorded in a systematic way. This is a valuable opportunity to record and preserve this unique aspect of Hindu culture and British history. The project involves conducting and recording interviews with Hindus who migrated to Britain from other countries around the world. The project received Heritage Lottery funding and the results of this ground-breaking work will be made accessible to scholars and researchers for future studies and publications.
The OCHS is working with Oxford's Bodleian Library and the Refugees Studies Centre to digitise the Shikshapatri, the most revered scripture of the Swaminarayan community. This document is held in the Indian Institute Library in Oxford and hundreds of visitors come to view the manuscript each year. The project will develop a computerised learning resource that will be accessible on the Internet.
The first phase of this project discovered and preserved on microfilm, historic Indian manuscripts and rare books before they were lost forever. Over one million frames have been recorded so far. The material was originally funded by the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. and copies are now held by the Hindu Archive. The OCHS has initiated a second phase to this project which will use digital technology to scan and preserve ancient manuscripts and libraries. This is an important and timely project which will conserve Indian and Hindu heritage for the future.
The Hindu Youth Survey, developed with the Hindu Youth Festival 2001, is the first survey of its kind. Five hundred Hindu youths answered the survey questionnaires and fifteen hours of group interviews were carried out. This material is being analysed so that it is useful to the Hindu community, scholars and British institutions. The results of the analysis are being used to help formulate plans that are appropriate to the needs, interests and concerns of the present generation of Hindu youth.