Kozhikode, Kerala State, India
7th – 10th, January, 2014
The International Vedic Workshop is the most prominent get-together of Indologists involved in the study of the Vedas the world over. The 6th International Vedic Workshop will be held in Kozhikode (Calicut) in the southern Indian state of Kerala in India.
The previous five International Vedic Workshops were held in Harvard University, USA (in 1989, organized by Prof. Michael Witzel), Kyoto University, Japan (in 1999, organized by Prof. Y. Ikari), Leiden University, The Netherlands (in 2002, organized by Prof. J. Houben and Prof. A. Griffith), University of Texas, Austin, USA (in 2007, organized by Prof. P. Olivelle and Prof. J. Brereton), and Centre for Eurasiatic and Afroasiatic Studies (CEAS), Bucharest, Romania (in 2011, organized by Prof. J. Rotaru). These workshops have already made some major advances in Vedic studies. Also, these workshops have already pointed out and then followed up, several new avenues for Vedic research.
The forthcoming workshop strictly focuses on Vedic texts and rituals, their scholarly interpretation, and their traditional performance and has only one track with no parallel sessions.
The prospective audience constitutes bona fide scholars of the Vedas and Vedic traditions, traditional scholars (Vaidikas, ritualists, and also scholars of Mimamsa), practitioners of Veda, Sanskrit scholars, Veda enthusiasts, writers specialised in Veda etc.
One of the main attractions of 2014 episode of the Vedic Workshop will be the physical presence of Veda chanting experts and their demonstration of Veda chanting. Also, the experts will be available for the scholars to "interview". They include the highly skilled Veda chanters from the two Kerala Schools of Rigveda, chanters from different Yajurveda schools in Kerala, and from the rare Kerala school of Saamaveda. Listening to and gaining from the practical knowledge / experience of these experts will add value to the usual (theoretical) deliberations in the workshop.