World-class scholars and performers convene at UC Santa Cruz May 14-16 for international conference on Indian arts and culture
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SANTA CRUZ, CA--The idea of "Sarira" is a metaphor central to numerous Indian religious and secular cultures and, in recent years, has been the focus of much academic attention as well. Literally meaning "body," Sarira is, in more figurative terms, the manifestation of spiritual ideas in such embodiments as art, theater, and music.
On May 14-16, eminent scholars from around the world will convene at the University of California, Santa Cruz, for the conference "Sarira: Aspects of Embodiment in the Arts and Cultures of India."
In keeping with the theme of art and culture, the conference will also feature performances of classical music by musicians from India, the screening of a new film in the presence of its director, Sandip Ray, a special Indian dinner with distinguished guests and exhibitions of works of art, photography, and puppetry (see performance schedule, attached). The conference is free and open to the public. Advance reservations are required for the dinner.
The three-day conference features experts on Sarira from traditional Indian disciplines such as Ayurveda and Tantra, as well as Western disciplines such as neurophysiology. Scholars will also speak on Vedic, post-Vedic texts, the Epics and the Vaisnavism, and Islam. The conference will place a major emphasis on visual and performance arts--dance, film, music, art, photography--as well as on the poetics and politics of colonial and postcolonial representation of the body. Such perspectives as class, gender, religion, and nationalism will be explored.
The conference also celebrates the launching of the Chandra Bhandari Endowed Chair in India Studies and recent initiatives at UCSC to expand its South Asian studies program. "We are delighted to see this convergence of exceptional scholars and artists coming together for such an important event," said Narpat Bhandari, whose gift to UCSC established the Bhandari Chair in 1997. "The result should be and exciting and informative dialogue on the rich and vital cultures of India. Such a conference is especially valuable for second generation Indo-Americans who have not had many opportunities for direct exposure to their culture."
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Below are conference details, performance schedule, and a list of distinguished participants.
CONFERENCE DETAILS:
The conference will be held at the Performing Arts Center at UCSC. A special three-day hospitality package is available for out-of- towners. For local hospitality package, banquet reservation, and other conference details, please call (831) 459-2242 or e-mail: [email protected].
For tickets to the music and movie shows, please call (831) 459- 2159, e-mail: [email protected].
For a conference update, please visit the Bhandari Chair Web site -- http://humwww.ucsc.edu/sachair/index.shtml.
Sponsors: The conference is sponsored by the Chandra Bhandari Endowed Chair in India Studies. Co-sponsors are the UCSC Arts and Humanities Divisions; Satyajit Ray Film and Study Collection, UCSC; Center for South Asia Studies, UC Berkeley; and the Indian Council on Cultural Relations, New Delhi.
------------------------------- PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Friday, May 14, 8 p.m.: Classical vocal performance by Pandit Mukesh Desai (Khayal, Baroda) and Purnima Chaudhuri (Thumri, Banaras).
UCSC Recital Hall, Music Center. Tickets: (831) 459-2159
Saturday, May 15, 5:30 p.m.: Reception and gourmet Indian banquet. Distinguished guests include: Naresh Chandra, Indian Ambassador to the U.S.; Kapila Vatsyayan, Academic Director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre of the Arts in New Delhi; Frederick Asher, President of the American Institute of Indian Studies; Himachal Som, Director General, Indian Council on Cultural Relations, New Delhi; Barbara Metcalf, recent President, Association of Asian Studies, and current Vice President, American Historical Association; and M.R.C. Greenwood, Chancellor, UC Santa Cruz. A performance of classical Indian dance by Kirti Srivastava is also planned. Holiday Inn, Ocean Street, Santa Cruz. Tickets ($25 per person): (831) 459-2696.
Sunday, May 16, 4 p.m.: Film screening of Target--a highly acclaimed new film by Sandip Ray. Based on Satyajit Ray's last screenplay, the film is in Hindi with subtitles. It features actors Om Puri and Mohan Agashe. Sandip Ray, son of Satyajit, will introduce the film; a discussion will follow the screening and will be led by distinguished film scholar Professor William Nichols. UCSC Media Theater. Tickets: (831) 459-2159.
Thursday, May 13, through Sunday, May 16: Exhibitions of photography by Kalpana Bardhan; art by Zarina Hashmi, Ramayana Puppetry in India and Indonesia, curated by UCSC Professor Kathy Foley. Porter College galleries. For gallery hours, call: (831) 459-2857.
--------------- PARTIAL LIST OF CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS
* Frederick Asher is a distinguished historian of Indian art and is President of the American Institute of Indian Studies.
* Douglas Brooks is a noted Indologist and a leading scholar of Tantra.
* Dipesh Chakrabarty is a distinguished historian and is widely known as a postcolonial theorist and as a member of the Subaltern Studies
Collective.
* Partha Chatterjee is a political theorist with a worldwide reputation as a leader in the Subaltern Studies Collective and for his works on
nationalism.
* Rahul Peter Das is an Indologist who works on Ayurveda among other things.
* Veena Das is a distinguished sociologist and social theorist.
* Robert Goldman is a distinguished Sanskritist and is well known for his works on the Ramayana and the Indian epic traditions throughout the
world.
* Tapati Guhathakurta is a historian of art and has recently made distinguished contributions to art and nationalism.
* Michael Meister is a historian of South Asian temple architecture and is noted for his major contributions to South Asian art history.
* Barbara Metcalf is a distinguished historian of Islam in South Asia and is a recent President of the Association of Asian Studies.
* John Simpson, Executive Vice Chancellor at UCSC, is a distinguished neuropsychologist.
* Kapila Vatsyayan, Academic Director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre of the Arts in New Delhi, is recognized worldwide as a great
authority on the arts of India.
* Joanna Williams is a foremost historian of Indian art.
* Sandip Ray, son of the late Satyajit Ray, is one of India's most respected filmmakers in his generation.
* Purnima Chaudhuri is a noted exponent of Thumri and Dadra of the Purvi Ang School of Banaras. She is a follower of Siddheswari Devi.
* Pandit Mukesh Desai is a follower of Pandit Jasraj and a distinguished Khayal artist.
* Kalpana Bardhan writes/translates works on the poor and on women. She is also a well-known photographer.
* Zarina Hashmi is a well-known artist and teacher. Her work has recently been showcased in Delhi, London, New York, and Berkeley. She lives
in New York.
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