The study examines the record-keeping system in the temples of India which has been maintained over centuries and is continued as a living tradition. Discussing the origin of the system—traceable to the age-old jajmani relations in Hindu society, it discusses the system as embodied in the temple activities as a whole. Therefore, it delves into the socio-religious significance of the particular temple in relation to the pan-Indian scenario. Based on empirical studies, it takes up the traditional system of records in the Jagannath Temple, Puri; the tradition of banshabali in the sacred centre of Haridwar; genealogical records keeping in the Kamakhya Temple, Assam; and records maintaining system in the Rameshwaram Temple, Tamil Nadu. Pointing out that the sites exhibit almost an identical method of recording information though they are geographically apart, it discusses aspects like who maintains the records and how, and the importance of the system.
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