2008-03 Editors’ Visit To London (4)

6th-7th March 2008
Brunei Gallery Lecture Theater

Jaina Art & Architecture
10th Jaina Studies Workshop at SOAS

Next morning after breakfast at a quarter to 09:00 we started with Gerd Mevissen from Indian YMCA to Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre. It was a rainy morning, but when we about 09:00 reached our destination, it only was drizzling. Fortunately we were aware of London weather and had umbrellas with us.

Peter Flügel opened the workshop session at 09:00 sharp by giving the information that the first lecture of Prof. Christine Chojnacki would not be held, as she unfortunately got ill and therefore had to cancel her participation. So Dr. Robert del Bontà’s lecture was the first; he started at 09:35 as scheduled, followed by Prof. Avadhanula V. K. Babu and Prof. Nalini Balbir.

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [05] From Narrative to Icon: the Bāhubali Image at Śravaṇabeḷgoḷa
Dr. Robert J. Del Bontà

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [06] Jaina Stupa at Vaddamanu, Andhra Pradesh: A Study
Prof. Avadhanula Vijaya Kumar Babu

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [07] The Vijñaptipatras: Texts and Representations
Prof. Nalini Balbir

Tea / coffee break was a welcomed opportunity to relax or to continue talks.

Dr. Peter Flügel then gave his speech, followed by Dipl.-Ing. Gerd Mevissen and Dr. Max Deeg, lunch break with tasty Indian dishes thereafter.

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [08] Jain Sacred Places: Sammeta Śikhara
Dr. Peter Flügel

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [09.1] North Bengal (Ancient Varendra): An Innovative Sub-Centre Of Jaina Sculptural Art (1)
SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [09.2] North Bengal (Ancient Varendra): An Innovative Sub-Centre Of Jaina Sculptural Art (2)
Dipl.-Ing. Gerd Mevissen

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [10] Indian Influence on Mani Reconsidered: The Case of Jainism
Dr. Max Deeg

Tea / coffee breaks as well as lunch were available at Brunei Gallery. This was very practical, as it spared a lot of time. The lecture theatre is situated in the basement of Brunei Gallery in a windowless hall, tea / coffee break was in the vestibule. Lunch was taken in a hall on the ground floor with big windows. We wondered from where spring had arrived, beautiful sunshine invited people to the nearby parks. But the workshop participants had not arrived to admire London spring. They were focussed on the lectures, which all were very well prepared and attention provoking. It was a pleasure to follow. There are quite few occasions to get such a bunch of informations first-hand. We have profited a lot from this workshop, we definately will look differently at Jaina Art & Architecture.

In total there were 13 lectures, after lunch until afternoon tea / coffee break 4 more, Prof. Alvappillai Veluppillai, Dr. Christoph Emmrich, Ms. R. Uma Maheshwari, and Prof. John Henry Rice.

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [11] South Indian Jainism: The Role of Religious Polemics in Tamil
Prof. Alvappillai Veluppillai

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [12] The Man Who Fell From The Gopuram: Picking Up Pieces In Kanchi
Dr. Christoph Emmrich

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [13] Sites of Identity: Village and Community in Tamil Jaina Stories
R. Uma Maheshwari

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [14] Orienting Jaina Polity: Temple Building in Vijayanagara-Period Kanara
John Henry Rice

From afternoon tea / coffee break until final remarks also 4, Prof. Olle Qvarnström and Niels Hammer, Dr. Lisa Nadine Owen, Dr. Janice Leoshko, Dr. Prakash Shah. Dr. Peter Flügel closed the workshop by asking the audience to attend next year’s Jaina Studies Workshop with a bunch of friends.

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [15] The Jain Cave Paintings at Ellora
Prof. Olle Qvarnström & Niels Hammer

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [16] Demarcating Sacred Space: The Jina Images at Kalugumalai
Dr. Lisa Nadine Owen

SOAS - 10th Jaina Studies Workshop [17] Defining Jain Elements at Udayagiri-Khaṇḍagiri, Orissa
Dr. Janice Leoshko

For those who missed the event, the first ten minutes of a lecture or a ten minutes extract are recorded on video, the full speech on audio. Additionally the photos used or an abstract with photos taken from the stage are published.

After being concentrated the whole day, we really felt tired and dined at Indian YMCA, although there was a conference dinner that evening also. Next day we heard that this time an Indian restaurant had been chosen. All had enjoyed the meal and the company of like-minded, ignoring if, when or where they would meet again, lucky to have met at all.