March 17th, 2008
London, UK: The Institute of Jainology today announced that it has received a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £375,000 towards the creation of an ambitious on-line multimedia resource which will illustrate Jain manuscripts and artefacts held by major UK libraries and museums. This grant will contribute to the Institute of Jainology’s overall £700,000 project.
Mr. Ratilal Chandaria, Chairman of the Institute of Jainology, said: “We thank the HLF for the huge contribution it has provided to this project. Britain has a vast and rich collection of Jain manuscripts that reside in national museums and libraries. This grant provides us the ability to bring access through a modern Internet based resource that will mean that millions of people will have access to these cherished manuscripts for the very first time.”
He added: “We want to target young people by bringing these ancient manuscripts to life. For example, the online resource will allow users to understand various aspects of our heritage by precise translation, supported with video and textual material. The resource will continue to develop by allowing users to blog their Jain experiences online and therefore weave their everyday practices into the richness of the UK Jain tapestry.”
Carole Souter, Director of HLF, said: “Jainism is one of the world’s oldest religions, famous for its ancient literature and spiritualism. The Heritage Lottery Fund’s grant will help bring together a fascinating range of historical documents plus create accompanying exhibitions so enabling many more people to learn about and gain a deeper understanding of this ancient religion.”
By December 2009, it is anticipated that over 2000 pages will be digitised and available on-line. Further to this landmark date, a series of exhibitions will be organised in regional museums, local libraries and Jain temples across the UK to promote the use of this resource.