The Bengaluru Inscriptions 3D Digital Conservation Project is a unique, multi-disciplinary initiative. It's one of the few systematic efforts to physically and digitally conserve and study around 1,500 stone inscriptions in the Bengaluru region. Through advanced technologies like 3D digitization, computer rendering, IT applications, and data science, the project is helping to: - Refine Historical Interpretations, by identifying that around 20% of previous inscription readings may need revision. - Uncover Lesser Known Heritage, by identifying over 100 previously unrecorded inscriptions along with more than 1000 hero stones and 150 ancient temples. - Trace Language Evolution, by documenting the development of Kannada script from the 5th century onwards. In his Talk, "Advancing Indian Epigraphy: Insights from the Bengaluru Inscriptions 3D Digital Conservation Project, Sri P L Udayakumar, the Honorary Director of this extraordinary initiative of the Mythic Society, will provide an overview of the project, explore these key findings, and discuss their implications for the broader study of Indian inscriptions. The online Talk in English is at 5.30 pm IST on Saturday, October 5, 2024. About the Speaker: A former tech professional, P L Udaya Kumar, is now known as Bengaluru's "inscription hunter" and “accidental historian” for his dedication to unearthing the city's hidden history. Driven by a deep respect for local heritage, Udaya’s journey began with a personal quest to locate a 13th-century inscription mentioning a village in his Bengaluru locality. This ignited a passion to find and preserve the countless inscription stones scattered across Bengaluru. Realizing their vulnerability to urbanization and neglect, Kumar sought a way to create lasting digital records of these historical treasures. Udaya holds a Master's degree in Engineering Mechanics from IIT Madras. He brings with him extensive experience in the corporate world, having worked with renowned companies like Tata, General Electric, and Schneider Electric. This background in technology has proven invaluable to his work in heritage conservation. Udaya was recognized as Namma Bengaluru citizen individual of the year 2019 for his work in the area of heritage conservation in Bengaluru. Today, as Honorary Director of the Bengaluru Inscriptions 3D Digital Conservation Project at the Mythic Society, Udaya leads a team of historians and epigraphists who use cutting-edge 3D scanning technology to digitally preserve inscriptions. His work has not only transformed our understanding of Bengaluru's past but also inspired a city to reconnect with its heritage and introduced cutting edge interdisciplinary methods and approaches to Epigraphy.
Madhusudhanan Kalaichelvan. "Tamil Bhakti Literature: An Introduction". September 7, 2024
The Saiva and Vaishnava bhakti literature in Tamil form a rich repository of religious, spiritual, cultural and historic knowledge. Written around the fifth to the ninth century CE, these were composed by the Saiva Nayanmars and Vaishnava Azhwars, poet-saints who traveled widely to sacred towns on pilgrimage, singing about their temples. The entire Indian sacred topography is measured by these verses that describe the city, the flora and fauna and the people of the lands the poets visited. These verses were a milestone in the development of Tamil literature and played a significant role in popularizing the language.
Prolific speaker and heritage enthusiast, Madhusudhanan Kalaichelvan introduces these important works and delves into what makes them special, in his Talk on "Tamil Bhakti Literature: An Introduction".
The online Talk in English is at 5.30 pm IST on Saturday, September 7, 2024.
About the Speaker:
Madhusudhanan Kalaichelvan, an architecture graduate and a gold medalist in his post graduation, specializes in conservation and architectural research. He has been an academic for a decade, mentoring students of popular schools of architecture. He is currently pursuing his doctoral research on “Temple Town Planning” and also serves on Government instituted panel for conservation of temples in Tamil Nadu.
He is an active heritage enthusiast and his contributions have earned him several awards and accolades. He is well versed in fields of art, architecture, heritage, cultural studies and vernacular practices. He is also a popular speaker on a wide range of topics associated with heritage, religion, culture, and literature.
He is the youngest recipient of the coveted Vedavalli memorial award for outstanding service by a young achiever in the field of south Indian heritage(2018). He received the title, “Ilakkiya Chemmal”, recognizing his mastery over Tamil literature (2019) and "Saiva Thamizh Arignar"(2022) from his acharya Sri Dharumapuram Adheenam. He is the first recipient of the THT-Prof Swaminathan Heritage Award (2020) for his service in the field of heritage and culture.
Madhusudhanan curates and conducts tours to places of architectural & cultural heritage since 2012. He has been writing columns on popular print media covering subjects like epigraphy, not so popular temples and archeology. He has been nominated as a member of academic council of Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalitha Music and Fine Arts University.
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