The Social Life of a Manuscript

This essay follows the life of a palm-leaf manuscript, now preserved in Nepal, containing a collection of Hindu texts about the city of Varanasi in North India. Looking at the physical properties of this manuscript, as well as the various additions and alterations it has undergone, one can discover more about the social history of the individuals and communities involved in creating, using, and transporting the manuscript. The manuscript contains texts about a network of religious sites in Varanasi, but because it was transported to Nepal after its creation, it also serves as evidence of connections beyond the city itself. I argue that this manuscript forms part of various larger networks: firstly, it connects locations in Varanasi at the level of narrative; secondly, it forms a link between North India and Nepal by being transported; and lastly, it participates in a network of information exchange between South Asia and Europe through microfilms and digital photographs.