Raghuram Ashok and his cousin Sreenivasa S.L., both Bangalore-based photographers, were intrigued by the thought of a 16th century transcription of the Sampoorna Ramayana resting just 130km from their city. Three months ago, when they first visited the Academy of Sanskrit Research in Melkote—a temple town in Karnataka and a historical centre of Sanskrit learning—the resident scholars weren’t particularly welcoming.