Tamil Heritage Trust is a non profit organization run by a group of heritage enthusiasts, and we are registered in Chennai. We organize monthly talks, pechu kacheris and site seminars on Indian heritage and culture. We also conduct programs like How to See a Temple, How to See a Museum and Mallai Study Tour. Please visit Tamil Heritage Trust Facebook page to get the latest updates on our events.
Note on Website
In addition to who we are and what we do, this website contains links to all our monthly lectures on youtube. You can search using the name of the speaker or title of the talk. For example, Speaker Name or Title or Keywords, Video will give you list of Videos.
Mumbai is not just the economic capital of India but is also rich in its cultural heritage. It is home to three UNESCO world heritage sites. In addition to over seventeen prehistoric sites and more than a dozen and half forts, there are over 150 caves in Mumbai. Though the earliest known rock-cut caves are Buddhist, it is the later Shaiva caves that contain much classical art. Shaiva Pashupata caves in Mumbai can be divided into three broad groups as Jogeshwari, Elephanta and Mandapeshwara. These sites date back to the 6th century CE. These are Shaiva monastic settlements and, except Elephanta, continue to be so in some form or the other. They are key sources of Mumbai’s socio-cultural history of the last 1500 years.
The talk will be a brief review of art, architecture and history of these Pashupata Shaiva cave sites in Mumbai.
About the Speaker
Dr. Suraj A. Pandit, MA, PhD, is the Head of the Department of Ancient Indian Culture and Department of Buddhist Studies at Sathaye College, Mumbai. He has published numerous books and papers. He is faculty for archaeology and Tourism and a recognised research guide in the subject of Ancient Indian Culture at University of Mumbai. He has served as the Project Director for several research projects. He is a member of Managing Committee of Asiatic Society of Mumbai and also serves on various academic committees of the University of Mumbai. He has designed various academic courses for Indian and International students.
Over the centuries, there have been many Delhis which served as the capital of various empires. Stepwells or baolisplayed an important role in meeting the water requirements of the residents of these cities.
The baolis were built in interesting shapes; many were three or four stories deep. Some were richly decorated. Some had secret tunnels leading from them. And all of them carried fascinating stories – about kings and saints and ordinary citizens.
For example, do you know that:
- The waters of a particular baoli was said to be so miraculous that you could light lamps with it?
- A baoli served as a jail to the top commanders of Netaji Subhas Bose’ Indian National Army?
- A popular baoli - featured in Aamir Khan’s movie PK - has an origin legend that dates back to the Mahabharata? - At a certain baoli, people even today light lamps to worship djinns?
Vikramjit S Rooprai has written a book Delhi Heritage Top 10: Baolis, a fascinating account of a handful of Delhi’s numerous stepwells. The book is based on over five years of research. It stayed in the Top 10 on Amazon (Travel Illustrated Category) for long after the launch and went into reprint within 2 months of release, turning him into a Bestselling Debut Author.
In his talk, he plans to introduce us to the concept of the stepwells and then take us on a grand journey through the centuries as we visit some of the bestbaolis in the city. We will learn of the architecture, the formal history, the folklore associated with them and the current state of each of thesebaolis.
About the Speaker
Vikramjit S Rooprai is an Author, Educator and Historian and Activist, who has developed creative ways to teach conventional subjects. He started researching Delhi’s Heritage in 2009 while he was still an IT professional and entrepreneur. He founded ‘The Heritage Photography Club’ to promote Indian heritage through travel & photography. In 2015, he left his digital marketing career and turned into an Educator. He established 'Heritageshaala', where his team sets up Heritage Labs in schools and develops programs for Corporates, Teachers and Students to learn through events from history. He has been instrumental in setting up and managing www.monumentsofdelhi.com.
He has been an Auditor for UNESCO and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and Education Quality Foundation of India. He has delivered 5 TEDx talks so far, 3 of which revolve around the education system of India. He has been invited to speak at events in IIT and IIM and is currently a visiting faculty at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi.
Vikramjit was listed by India Today Magazine as Changemaker of Delhi. Hindustan Times & Outlook Traveller ranked his portal on Delhi’s monuments and his Twitter/Instagram handle in top 10 sources of Delhi’s Heritage. Times Now and Economic times titled him as a Good Crusader and featured him in their series of Whistle-blowers.
You can read more about him and his wide range of initiatives and achievements at www.vikramjits.com.
Tamil Heritage Trust Contact: T Ravishankar 9500074247
Badri Seshadri on Vettuvan Kovil, Vallabha Srinivasan on Pullamangai, Gopu on Kanchi Kailasanatha Temple, VK Srinivasan on Sittannavasal, Shyam Raman on Jaina Worship and Sivasankar Babu on Konark - An Enigma
Youtube link will be shared via Facebook, WhatsApp and THT Website on the day of the digital lecture
About the Topic
The Sun Temple at Modhera, Gujarat is one of the gems of temple architecture in India. It was built in the early 11th century by the Solanki king Bhimadeva. Though it is partially in ruins, the ASI under whose protection it now resides, has helped it retain much of its glory. The temple, its free standing ranga mandapa, the Torana and the Kunda (Tank) together have an ‘amazing profusion of magnificently carved gods and goddesses’. The exquisite sculptures of the twelve adityas, the twelve gauris, the eight dikpalas adorning the external walls of the temple have made the temple world famous.
The talk will describe the highlights of this splendid monument. The talk will be in English.
About the Speaker
Shyam is an executive in a Chennai based conglomerate and is keenly involved in the activities of Tamil Heritage Trust.
தலைப்பு:
குஜரத்மோதேராவில்உள்ளசூரியனார்கோயிலைஇந்தியகோயில்கட்டுமானகலையின்ஒருரத்தினம்எனலாம். பதினோறாம்நூற்றாண்டுஆரம்பத்தில்சோலங்கிவம்சமன்னர்பீமதேவரால்அக்கோயில்கட்டப்பட்டது. தற்போதுசிலபகுதிகள்சிதிலமடைந்திருந்தாலும், கோயில்இந்தியதொல்பொருள்ஆய்வகத்தின்கட்டுப்பாட்டுக்குள்இருப்பதால்அதன்பொலிவுமேலும்சீர்குலையாமல்பாதுகாக்கப்படுகிறது. கோயில், வெளியில்உள்ளரங்கமண்டபம், தோரணவாயில்மற்றும்குளச்சுவர்களில்
Youtube link will be shared via Email, Facebook, WhatsApp and THT Website on the day of the digital lecture
About the Topic
Landscaping modifies the visible features of an area of land to make it appealing. Culturescaping, in addition, attempts to sensitise public towards our heritage, a bio-aesthetic, spiritual, religious, ecological approach to landscaping. This is but feeling our culture in every step. Covering space to uncover our past, Turning idle minutes into enchanting moments, Let us have yesterday, Ode to our multi-faceted culture, Rhythm, harmony and balance, … and peace, are some interesting themes.
Culturescaping as Sanga-ch-cholai is an attempt to celebrate our 2000-year old heritage where nature around the people provided substance for literary metaphor. agath-th-thottam andpurath-th-thottam celebrate the literary expressions synergising both nature and literature inspired by it, for a visual, emotional and literary treat two millenia later! Similarly yappu-th-thoppuwould be an orchard consisting mango (sweet and sour), vila and vilva trees, for these trees form the basis for the mimetic mnemonics in Tamil prosody. Lastly, a flower garden with the 99 plants mentioned in the kurinji-p-pattu by kapilar.
About the Speaker
Professor Swaminathan had a thriving career as a faculty member in IIT Delhi, a premier engineering institution in India. He sought voluntary retirement, first to work in the Integrated Rural Technology Centre in Kerala and then moved full time into Culture and Heritage. He first established Sudarsanam in Pudukkottai to document the heritage of Pudukkottai, his hometown. Subsequently, he was instrumental in establishing the Tamil Heritage Trust in Chennai and remains it founder chairman.
தலைப்பு:
நிலவடிவுக்கலை (Landscaping)ஓரிடத்தின் காட்சியமைப்பை மேம்படுத்துகிறது.கலாச்சாரவடிவுக்கலை(Culturescaping) கூடுதலாக பாரம்பரியம், உயிர் அழகியல், ஆன்மீகம், மதம் மற்றும் சூழலியல் மூலம் நிலவடிவுக்கலையை அணுகுகிறது. இதன் ஒவ்வொரு அடியிலும் நம் கலாச்சாரத்தை உணரலாம். வெற்று இடங்களை மாற்றி நம் கடந்த காலம் பற்றிய நினைவுகளை, செயலற்ற கணங்களில்நேற்றையசாதனைகளை, பன்முகத்தன்மை கொண்ட நம் கலாச்சார பாடல்கள் மற்றும் அவற்றில்ஒத்திசைந்த தாளம், நல்லிணக்கம், சமநிலை மற்றும் சமாதானம் முதலியவற்றை, கலாச்சாரவடிவுக்கலை வழியாகவெளிப்படுத்த முடியும்.
சங்கச்சோலை எனும் கலாச்சாரவடிவுக்கலை, நம் இரண்டாயிர வருட பாரம்பரியத்தையும், அதில் இயற்கைச்சூழல் எவ்வாறு இலக்கிய உருவகங்களுக்கு வழிகோலியது என்பதையும் கொண்டாடுகிறது. அகத்தோட்டம் மற்றும் புறத்தோட்டம் போன்றவைஇயற்கையும், அதனோடுஒருங்கிணைந்த இலக்கிய வெளிப்பாடும் நம் கண்கள், புலன்கள் மற்றும் ரசனைக்கு விருந்தாகமுடியும். இதைப்போல் யாப்புத் தோப்பு என்ற பழத்தோட்டம் தேமாவும், புளிமாவும், விளாமும், வில்வமும் உள்ளடக்கியிருக்கும். இம்மரங்கள்தானே தமிழின் சீர் மற்றும் யாப்பிலக்கணத்தின் அடிப்படையாக விளங்குகின்றன!கடைசியாக கபிலர் குறிஞ்சிப் பாட்டில் கூறிய தொன்னூற்று ஒன்பது தாவரங்களைக் கொண்ட பூந்தோட்டமும் இதில் ஒன்றே.
பேச்சாளர்:
பேராசிரியர் சுவாமிநாதன் இன்றுஇந்தியாவின் தலைசிறந்த பொறியியல் கல்லூரிநிறுவனங்களில் ஒன்றானபுது தில்லி இந்திய தொழில்நுட்ப கல்லூரியில்சிறப்பாகஆசிரிய பணிபுரிந்தவர். அதிலிருந்து தன்னார்வ ஓய்வு பெற்று பின்னர்கேரளாவில் உள்ள ஒருங்கிணைந்த கிராமப்புற தொழில்நுட்ப மையத்தில் பணி செய்து, அதன் பின்முழுநேரமாக இந்தியகலாச்சாரம்மற்றும் பாரம்பரியத்தை மக்களுக்கு கொண்டு செல்லும்செயல்களில்ஈடுபடலானார். அவருடையசொந்தஊரானபுதுக்கோட்டையின்பாரம்பரியத்தைஆவணப்படுத்தசுதர்சனம்என்றஅமைப்பைஉருவாக்கியிருக்கிறார். சென்னையில்தமிழ்ப்பாரம்பரிய அறக்கட்டளையைத்தொடங்கி, அதன் தலைவராகவும்இருக்கிறார்.
