Revering the Relic Manuscript in Contemporary Hinduism

Abstract

This essay investigates the evolving practice of relic veneration in contemporary Hinduism, specifically of objects and manuscripts associated with deities and gurus, both living and deceased. Items ranging from mundane, everyday objects to corporeal remains acquire sacred significance through their association with these religious figures or through their involvement in significant ritual events. Through an analysis of the Śikṣāpatrī manuscript housed at the Oxford Bodleian Libraries, this study introduces the concept of the “relic manuscript” in Hinduism, examining how certain texts, rather than exclusively being read for their content, are also revered as sacred objects. The essay culminates in a codicological examination of the manuscript, revisiting its historical narrative and conception as a relic, and reflects on the broader implications of revisionist historical approaches within public scholarship.