17th Classical Tamil Summer Seminar
17th Classical Tamil Summer Seminar in 2019
Organised by Eva Wilden at the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures
2-13 September 2019
For the first time, in September 2019, the 17th Classical Tamil Summer Seminar will take place in Hamburg. This continues what has become a successful scheme in the past, which is to keep the CTSS mobile and alternating between several locations, including Pondicherry (EFEO), Hamburg (CSMC), and the Paris Centre of the University of Chicago. Apart from locations, it is now desirable to extend the thematic scope of the seminar, for which reason we will offer one afternoon class each on modern Tamil literature and on Telugu as the first additional Dravidian language.
The text chosen for advanced reading is one canto from the venerable Cilappatikāram, the first long Tamil epic poem of perhaps the 5th century. We are, however, not going to follow the story line, but concentrate on canto XII, devoted to Koṟṟavai, the Tamil goddess of the battle field – the only literary testimony of devī worship in the whole of the first millennium and notoriously difficult. Luckily, it is accompanied not only by the old arumpatavurai, but also by the commentary of Aṭiyārkkunallār, and, moreover, some intriguing parallels are found both in the Puṟanāṉūṟu and the Puṟapporuḷ Vēṇpāmālai. This year there will not be a beginner’s group.
Basic knowledge of the classical Tamil language is required for participants.
For further enquiries, please contact Eva Wilden: eva.wilden"AT"uni-hamburg.de
Application Request and Registration
Please send your application request to the organiser by email before the end of May 2019. Accepted participants will receive a registration form to be submitted by the end of June 2019; registration entails the payment of the fee and definitive information as to whether accommodation is required.
Fees
There will be a fee of 150/100 Euros for international scholars/students (negotiable in case of need). Students will have to pay their travel expenses, while basic accomodation, lunch and tea/coffee will be provided. Moreover, the CSMC as the host organisation offers financial assistance in the form of travel allowances for up to three participants.
After being invited to register, please transfer the fees to:
Bank: Deutsche Bundesbank
Kontoinhaber/Account holder: UHH
IBAN: DE84200000000020101534
BIC: MARKDEF1200
Verwendungszweck/Reference: 100047591
Organisation
There will be two morning sessions plus one afternoon session between 9.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday for advanced students (see timetable).
Evening Lectures
Twice a week there will be evening lectures, which provide occasions for additional lectures, as well as time for participants to present their current work to the group.
Timetable
| 9.30-11 am | Morning reading session I: Cilappatikāram, canto XII (Eva Wilden) |
| 11-11.30 am | (coffee break) |
| 11.30 a.m.-1 pm | Morning reading session II: Aṭiyārkkunallār’s commentary (Jean-Luc Chevillard) |
| 1-2.30 pm | (lunch break) |
| 3.00-4.00 pm | Afternoon reading sessions:
|
| 4.00-4.30 pm | Tea break |
| 4.30-6.00 pm | Lectures (on Tuesdays and Thursdays) |
Lecture Programme
Wednesday, 4 September, 4.30 p.m.: Neela Bhaskar (Universität Hamburg)
“The Techniques of Dance described in Aṭiyārkkunnallar’s Commentary on the Cilappatikāram”
Thurday, 5 September, 4.30 p.m.: Charlotte Schmid (EFEO Paris)
“Early Representations of the Goddess in South India”
Monday, 9 September, 4.30 p.m.: Anna Smirnitskaya (Institute of Oriental Studies, Moscow)
“The typology of Semantic Shifts in Dravidian Kinship”
Thursday, 12 September, 4.30 p.m.: Manasicha Akepiyapornchai
“Translating Bhagavadgītā 18.66 in Sanskrit and Maṇipravāḷa Spheres”