Medicine, Religion and Alchemy in South IndiaResources and Permutations of Siddha Traditions and Siddha Medicine

AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE | 25 – 27 JULY 2019 | TÜBINGEN UNIVERSITY

In collaboration with Department of Anthropology; Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies

University of Tübingen

Sponsored by Collaborative Research Center 1070 ResourceCultures

Subproject C06

University of Tübingen

Conference convenor: Roman Sieler, Tübingen

SFB 1070 RESSOURCENKULTUREN. Soziokulturelle Dynamiken im Umgang mit Ressourcen

SFB 1070RESSOURCENKULTUREN

Photo: Roman Sieler

Medicine, Religion and Alchemy in South IndiaResources and Permutations of Siddha Traditions and Siddha Medicine

AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE | 25 – 27 JULY 2019 | TÜBINGEN UNIVERSITY

Abstract:South Indian Siddha Medicine is arguably the least researched and understood among Indian medical systems. Thesame might be said for Siddha traditions as found in South Indian textual sources and lived practices in general. Thismay be due to complex interrelations of diverse subjects including alchemy, philosophy, astrology, therapies, ritualpractices, etc., as well as to the synthesis of various strands of traditions throughout different periods of SouthIndia, including yogic principles, different religious schools of thought, or the influence of different therapeuticphilosophies—both of South Indian, and of external origins. This conference aims to bring together specialists onSouth Indian medical, alchemical and religious traditions, all described or understood as “Siddha” and to palpate thepermutations, varieties, and, above all, interrelations of different Siddha traditions and their relations to otherIndian practices from various interdisciplinary social science perspectives, including Anthropology, Sociology, History,Philosophy, Religious Studies and Indology. In this attempt, the conference will include presentations on:

• Identity, Professionalization and Cultural Hegemony of Siddha Medicine and Physicians • Pre- and Post-Independence History of Siddha Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research• Examining the Oral and Written Testimonies of Tamil Siddha Practitioners in the Usman Report • The Female Principle Valai and Siddhars’ Understanding of Physical/Social Women• New Controversies at Palani Surrounding Bhogar's "Alchemically-fashioned" Icon• Recent Digitization Efforts of Siddha Manuscripts• Examining the Adoption of Siddha Medicine by Neo-Hindu Guru Organizations• Entangled Histories of Siddha and other Indian Medicines • Alchemical and Therapeutic Uses of Mercury in Siddha traditions• Siddha Pharmaceutics and Yogic Relations with Plants• Contemporary Developments in Clinical Treatment and Research in Siddha Medicine

list of speakers:

Christèle Barois (University of Vienna, Indology)Gary Hausman (Columbia University, Anthropology)D.V. Kanagarathinam (Indian Institute of Tehnology, Madras, History)Ilona Kędzia (Jagellonian University, Krakow, Indology)Layne Little (University of California, Davis, Religious Studies)Kanchana Natarajan (University of Delhi, Philosophy)Nina Rageth (University of Zurich, Religious Studies)Brigitte Sébastia (French Institute of Pondicherry, Anthropology)Roman Sieler (University of Tübingen, Cultural Anthropology)V. Sujatha (Jawaharlal Nehru University, Sociology)Justus Weiß (University of Tübingen, Cultural Anthropology)

For more information and updates, see https://siddha.hypotheses.org/xx-conference-xx

SFB 1070RESSOURCENKULTUREN