RC1: Vedic Mantras: Tradition and Innovation 

• Objective: To explore the historical development of Vedic mantras and their impact on later traditions.
• Methodology:
  • Textual Analysis: Study of Vedic texts, including the Jaiminīya Brāhmaṇa and Jaiminīya Upaniṣad-Brāhmaṇa.
  • Fieldwork: Investigation of Vedic practices in South India, focusing on the Nampūtiri and Cōḻīya Brahmin communities.
  • Ethnographic Documentation: Use of sound recording, photography, and video to document Vedic rituals.
• Outcomes:
  • Detailed analysis of Vedic ritual practices and their evolution.
  • Digitized texts and audiovisual materials for public access.
  • Contributions to the Roots of Mantra sourcebook and other publications.

RC2: Tantric Mantras Across Boundaries

• Objective: To examine the transcultural and transreligious dimensions of Tantric mantras.
• Methodology:
  • Textual Research: Analysis of Sanskrit and vernacular Tantric literature from medieval to modern periods.
  • Field Research: Study of mantras in Southeast and East Asia, including their adaptation in Old Javanese texts and contemporary contexts.
  • Collaboration: Work with experts on Tantric traditions and translations of relevant texts.
• Outcomes:
  • Comprehensive study of Tantric mantras’ migration and adaptation.
  • Publications on the role of mantras in Southeast and East Asia.
  • Translation and study of mantric literature in Classical Chinese.

RC3: Mantras and Yoga

• Objective: To investigate the role of mantras in early Yoga and their evolution through Tantric traditions.
• Methodology:
  • Historical Analysis: Study of early Yogic texts and their use of mantras.
  • Fieldwork: Examination of contemporary practices involving mantras in Yoga.
  • Cross-Cultural Studies: Comparison of mantras and Yoga across different traditions and modern practices.
• Outcomes:
  • Analysis of the role of mantras in Yogic practices and their soteriological functions.
  • Study of global spiritual practices related to mantras and Yoga.
  • Publications and contributions to the project’s digital archives.

RC4: Religious Sound, Religious Space: Mantras in Sonic Soteriology and Place-Making

• Objective: To explore how mantras interact with other sacred sounds and contribute to the creation of religious spaces and communities.
• Methodology:
  • Fieldwork: Ethnographic study of sonic practices in various religious contexts in South Asia.
  • Sonic Ethnography: Collection and analysis of sound recordings from rituals and practices.
  • Discourse Analysis: Examination of public debates and cultural representations of religious sounds.
• Outcomes:
  • Insights into the role of mantras in shaping soundscapes and religious spaces.
  • Documentation and analysis of sonic practices in various contexts.
  • Contributions to sound studies and anthropological literature.

RC5: Mantras from Below: Ensounding the Margins

• Objective: To investigate how marginalized communities use and reinterpret mantras, often in resistance to dominant religious and social structures.
• Methodology:
  • Ethnographic Research: Study of mantras in marginalized communities such as Dalits, Adivasi, and Muslim-majority societies.
  • Case Studies: Detailed analysis of vernacular mantras and their social significance.
  • Collaboration: Work with local researchers and practitioners to understand grassroots uses of mantras.
• Outcomes:
  • Exploration of how mantras function as tools of social agency and resistance.
  • Publications on the role of mantras in marginalized communities.
  • Development of new theoretical frameworks for understanding mantra practices from below.

RC6: Material Mantras in Popular Hinduism 

• Objective: To study how mantras are materialized in objects and media, and how this affects their social and religious significance.
• Methodology:
  • Material Culture Studies: Analysis of mantra-inscribed objects and their uses in various contexts.
  • Fieldwork: Investigation of mantra artifacts in urban centers like Mumbai and Pune.
  • Exhibition: Collaboration with museums to showcase mantra artifacts.
• Outcomes:
  • Analysis of the materiality of mantras and their socio-political implications.
  • Interactive exhibition on material mantras.
  • Publications on the commodification and global circulation of mantras.

RC7: Digital Mantras

• Objective: To explore how mantras are represented and utilized in digital spaces and how this affects religious practices and communities.
• Methodology:
  • Digital Ethnography: Study of mantras on social media platforms and digital media.
  • Case Studies: Analysis of digital practices related to charismatic movements and Hindu nationalist groups.
  • Collaborations: Work with researchers on digital religion and media studies.
• Outcomes:
  • Understanding of how digital formats reshape religious practices and communities.
  • Publications on the role of digital media in the spread and transformation of mantras.
  • Contributions to discussions on digital religion and media studies.

RC8: Visible Mantras

• Objective: To examine the visual and written representations of mantras in Hindu and Jain traditions, past and present.
• Methodology:
  • Visual Analysis: Study of mantras on textiles, amulets, and other objects.
  • Field Research: Investigation of the use of mantras in ritual and everyday contexts.
  • Collaborations: Work with experts in art history and critical museology.
• Outcomes:
  • Analysis of how visual representations of mantras reflect and shape religious practices.
  • Publications and exhibitions on the visual materiality of mantras.
  • Contributions to the understanding of mantra as a visual and embodied practice.