Category List

Pillar sculptures of the Mahamandapa of Ramaswamy Temple

The findings of the project were communicated in national seminars. Based on these pilot studies I have now (2001) undertaken a major project, funded by the University Grants Commission. Simultaneously I have been doing a PhD on the ecological and environmental impact on monuments and their conservation and hope to develop this in the context of temple studies. The funding shortages in my institution were balanced by the timely awards received from your Trust, and my project work was also considered as part of my career development evaluation by my institution.

To study Rashtrakuta influences in Tamil Nadu

The topic  for my second award was so chosen because there is very scanty material available on the subject which forms a vital part of Tamilnadu (an art rich state). Tamilnadu, known for its rich art and culture is equally adept at adopting cultures of other states, and in this sense, the art influences of one of the major dynasties of South India assume importance. These awards have given me encouragement and have honed my skills to view the subject in a different perspective. After completing the project report, I have given lectures to junior staff about my observations.

Relief sculptures as revealed from Hero-stones in Thiruvannamalai, Samburayar and North Arcot Districts of Tamilnadu

The grant was very helpful to me in allowing me to discover a number of hero-stones and inscriptions during the Pallava and Chola periods in Vellore and Thiruvannamalai districts and to prepare research articles in vernacular research magazines like Hindu, Avanam, Pulamai, Dinamani etc. I am currently (2001) doing PhD research in the field of Hero-stones .

The construction of indigenous gods and linkages with the communities of eastern Uttar Pradesh

The award of a Small Study and Research grant proved invaluable for me for reasons probably different from many others. I was not a young scholar but a university teacher in mid-career, and had developed a serious academic interest in an area that was not directly related to my formal discipline of English literature. My independent readings in sociology, anthropology and history, along with my travels in the Indian countryside had opened the fresh arena of the creation and continuation of village gods as an intergral part of cultural existence in India.

Pages