1. Creating an Account

To place orders and download genealogy records you must have a registered account.

How to register

1. Click Register in the top navigation bar.
2. Enter your full name, email address, and choose a password (minimum 6 characters).
3. Fill in your mobile number, city, and address.
4. Click Send Verification Code. A 6-digit code will be sent to your email address.
5. Enter the code in the Verification Code field. The code expires in 5 minutes — if it expires, request a new one by going back to the registration form.
6. Once the code is verified your account is created and you are automatically signed in.

Forgot your password?

1. Click Login, then click Forgot Password? below the login button.
2. Enter your registered email address and submit.
3. You will receive a password-reset link by email. Follow the link and set a new password.

2. Searching the Archive

The main Archive Search page (the home page) lets you search through thousands of indexed genealogy records across all available volumes.

Search fields

Reading the results

Each search result shows:

• Village — where the family is from.
• Family Name — the house/family name.
• Gotra — ancestral lineage identifier.
• Person Name — the person or head of family listed in the record.
• Pages — the page range inside the volume where this record appears (e.g., 5-11 means pages 5 through 11).
• Volume — which archive volume contains this record.
• Price — the cost to purchase the pages for this record.

Tips for better results

• Try partial names — "Ram" will match "Ramesh", "Ramji", etc.
• If you get too many results, add the village name to narrow them down.
• Spelling variations exist in old records. Try alternate spellings if you don't find a match.
• Results are paginated — use the Next button at the bottom to see more.

3. Browsing the Catalog

The Catalog link in the navigation shows all available archive volumes — physical ledger books that have been digitised. Each volume entry shows its title, price per page, and total page count.

Use the Catalog to get an overview of what material is available before searching, or to find volumes by name when you already know which book you need.

4. Adding Items to Cart

From search results

1. Search for your record.
2. In the search results, click Add to Cart next to the record you want.
3. The cart icon in the top navigation will show a count of items in your cart.

From the record detail page

1. Click View Details on any search result to open the detail page.
2. Review the record information, page range, and price.
3. Click Add to Cart.

Custom page range

If you need specific pages that are not part of an indexed record, use the Custom Order option:

1. Go to Cart → click Add Custom Pages.
2. Select a volume, enter the page range (e.g., 12-18 or 5,7,10-15), and add it to the cart.

Managing your cart

• Click the Cart (🛒) icon at the top right to view your cart.
• Each item shows the volume, page range, and price.
• Click the Remove button to remove an item.
• The total is shown at the bottom.

5. Checkout & Payment

1. When your cart is ready, click Proceed to Checkout.
2. Review the order summary — items, page counts, and total amount.
3. Click Pay Now. This opens the Razorpay secure payment window.
4. Pay using any of the supported methods: UPI, debit/credit card, net banking, or wallet.
5. After successful payment, you are taken to a confirmation page and your order status changes to Completed.

Cash payment option

If you are ordering in person at our office, a staff member can place a cash order on your behalf. Cash orders are marked Pending until the staff confirms cash receipt.

Payment failed?

• If payment fails or is cancelled, your order remains in Pending status and no charge is made.
• Go to My Orders, open the pending order, and try paying again.

6. Downloading Your PDFs

Once an order is Completed, the download buttons are unlocked.

How to download

1. Go to My Orders (Hello Name → My Orders, or the top nav link).
2. Find the completed order and click View Order.
3. Click Download All to get all pages in one PDF, or click Download next to an individual item.
4. The PDF is generated with a personalised watermark and downloads to your device.

About the watermark

Every downloaded PDF contains a watermark identifying your account. This is to protect the integrity of the archive and deter unauthorised redistribution.

7. My Orders

Access all your past and current orders from My Orders.

Order statuses explained

Cancelling a pending cash order

If you placed a cash order and have not yet paid, you can cancel it yourself from the View Order page by clicking Cancel Order.

8. My Profile

Click Hello Name! in the navigation bar to open your profile page.

What you can update

• Full Name — the name shown in the navigation and on orders.
• Mobile Number — used for support contacts.
• Address, City, Zipcode — your mailing details.

Changing your password

1. On the My Profile page, scroll to the Change Password section.
2. Enter your current password, then your new password (minimum 6 characters), and confirm it.
3. Leave all three fields blank if you do not want to change your password.
4. Click Save Changes.

Your email address cannot be changed once registered. Contact support if you need to update it.

9. Common Questions

10. Contact & Support

If you need assistance, please reach out to us:

• Email: admin@charans.org

When contacting support about an order, always include your order number (shown in My Orders) to help us assist you faster.