As the content manager of the forthcoming website Jainpedia, I am excited to be involved in a project that is so ambitious on so many levels.

Digitising these striking yet fragile manuscripts, which are beautiful pieces of art in their own right, and housed in the renowned collections of our partner institutions, is at the heart of the project but we are planning to generate an encyclopaedia of knowledge about Jainism. We hope that, in time, Jainpedia will be the online destination for all of you who want to know more about the religion of Jainism, no matter what your level of expertise.

Here’s a little information about what we’ve got in mind…

Not only is Jainpedia presenting world-class digital artefacts, but we’re producing material to help website visitors appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship of the originals and the diversity of the culture in which they were created.

Not only are we planning to use the best photographic, audio and video online content available, but we’re creating original multimedia content, including interactive elements that will showcase the Jain heritage in new ways.

Not only are we presenting these outstanding collections online for a new audience for the first time, but we’re building a scholarly resource that will aid researchers across the globe in understanding the Jain religion and the Indian society in which it originated.

Not only are we helping to preserve historic treasures as part of the heritage of humankind, but we’re acting as a focus for the Jain community in the UK as it engages with the demands of interpreting an ancient religion in the 21st century.

Not only are we enabling Jains to explore their heritage in a fresh light, but we’re inviting those of other religions and none to consider the messages of peacefulness, non-violence, tolerance, individual responsibility and concern for the world around us that lie at the heart of Jainism.

Not only are we developing a multimedia-rich website that will display the Jain manuscripts and other content to the best advantage, but the project is using it as a springboard for a grand programme of exhibitions, education and community involvement.

My colleagues working on these other parts of the project will be keen to let you know what they’re planning so I’ll fill in the details of what content we’re planning for Jainpedia another time.

Now that the project is fully underway, I’m looking forward to sharing the team’s stories with the readers of this blog as we move further into the challenges of this new project over the next few months.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 at 5:02 pm and is filed under Jainpedia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.