Lectures on methodology, sources, prehistory, exploration, excavations, case studies, restoration and conservation techniques

Faculty - Dr.K.V.Raman,Retd.HOD of Archaeology & Ancient History, Madras University and K.T.Narasimhan, Suptd. Archaeologist ASI

Lectures on Tips on Gardening and how to maintain terrace garden, indoor plants, kitchen garden, rose garden, sacred garden, rock garden, mulitiplication of plants etc

Faculty - S.Rajaram, Horticulturist, Consultant, MS Swaminathan Institute

Lectures (with slides) covering European art from Greek and Roman Architecture and sculpture, cathedrals of Europe, Renaissance, concept of the universal genius, towards modern, post renaissance, impressionists, post impressionists etc

Faculty - Ashrafi Bhagat, HOD, Fine Arts, Stella Maris College

Lectures on concepts, symbolism, temple architecture details,cave and Buddhist architecture, south Indian temples, iconography, temple arts etc

Faculty - Dr.K.V.Raman, Retd. HOD, Archaeology, Ancient History, Madras University

Lectures on rose cultivation, medicinal herbs and plants, fruit garden, vegetable garden, orchid cultivation, landscaping, nightscaping and aeroponics, cactii and xerophytes, pest and disease control, manuring and fertigation

Faculty - S.Rajaram, Horticulturist

Lectures on Introduction to the Night Sky, observing the Moon and Planets, elements of Hindu Astronomy, Aids to the naked eye, exploring the Solar System, Stars and Star systems, Grandma Universe, Cosmic perspective etc

Faculty - Dr.Nirupama Raghavan, India's first woman astronomer, Retd. Director, Nehru Planetarium, New Delhi

Introduction to Architecture, Cost effective housing, conservation, planning aspects of houses, management aspects of houses, building materials, durability and maintenance of houses, extensions, do's and dont's in construction, Vaastu

Faculty - Benny Kuriakose, Director, Vedika, Lead Architect, Dakshinachitra

Lectures and workshop on understanding voice as a musical instrument. Application of scientific methods of voice training, voice counselling for functional voice disorders

Faculty - Dr.S.A.K.Durga, Professor, Emeritus, Madras University, Consultant, Centre for Voxology for Music and Ethnomusicology

Lectures on vedic period, philosophy of the Upanishads, Epic period, Materialism, Jainism, ethical idealism of Buddhism, Resurgence of Hinduism, Manu, Arthsastra, Theism of Bhagavat Gita, schools of Buddhishm, the Darsanas, Nyaya school, theology and ethics, Vedanta school, saiva sakta, modern religions,clash of religions etc

Faculty - Dr.Sundari Krishnamurthy, HOD, Sociology, Stella Maris College

Lectures and workshops on methods of identifying ragas, concert format, manodharma branch of Carnatic music, musical instruments as accompaniments, talas, bani in music etc

Faculty - Dr.S.A.K. Durga, Consultant, Centre for Voxology and ethnomusicology

Lectures on Retrospection on Art from Renaissance to 18th century, 19th century and modern approaches. Impact of Industrial revolution, photography, Impressionism and post-Impressionism, fauvism, cubism, expressionism, surrealism, abstractism, pop, op art, post modern art etc

Faculty - Ashrafi Bhagat, HOD, Fine Arts, Stella Maris College

Evolution of Temple Architecture, Structural architecture and art forms, culmination of Chola Architecture, iconography in Sculpture, Bronzes - origins, bronze casting etc

Faculty - K.T. Narasimhan, Supdt. Archaeologist, ASI and Dr.Desikan, Retd.Curator, Madras Museum

Lectures on varied themes and norms of representation according to texts, Mughal miniatures, maturity and efflorescence, Rajasthani, Basholi and Kangra schools

Faculty - Ashrafi Bhagat, HOD, Fine Arts, Stella Maris College

Lectures on legal concepts, historical developments, family law, politics of personal law, PIL, Consumer Protection Act, Criminal Law

Faculty - Geeta Ramaseshan, Advocate, Women's Activist

Lectures on Epistemology, Metaphysics and Ethics through a Study of the Text and Philosophy of the Kathopanishad. Site visit to Vivekananda Illam

Faculty - Dr.Sundari Krishnamurthy, HOD, Sociology, Stella Maris College

8 lectures (with Power Point presentations) on Brain basics, basics of brain development, the child's brain, gender differences in the Brain, principles of brain-based learning, Gardner's multiple intelligences, the Language Brain, Mind-Brain-Body Link, Brain Lock and how to release it, Motivation and Attention, Memory Management, the Creative Brain, the Loving Brain, the Aging Brain etc. Workshop on Creative Karma

Faculty - Dr.Prithika Chary, Consultant Neurologist & Neuro Surgeon

Topics covered will include Fundamentals of Archaeology, survey and excavation methods, From the dead to the living - reconstructing past cultures and environmental change, special focus on the environmental history of India over past 2 million years, sea level changes linked to tsunami etc, Prehistoric hunter-gatherers of India and rock art, First farming communities and the Iron Age(First neolithic communities, Harappan Civilization and the iron Age), Ethnoarchaeology - how modern communities can help us understand the past, site visit

Faculty - Dr.Shanti Pappu, Archaeologist, Deccan College, Pune

AYURVEDA or The Science of Life is the mother of all healing systems, believed to have been transmitted to the Rishis during meditation. It is a holistic approach that addresses the prevention and cure of diseases on physical, mental and spiritual levels.

Topics covered will include- Introduction- What is Ayurveda? Historical and Mythological background of Ayurveda, Evolution of the Science - Building Blocks, Physiological Aspects of Science, What according to Ayurveda constitutes Daatus (structural aspects), Swastha - Maintenance of Positive Health, Daily and Seasonal Routines, Dietitics - Ahara, Treatments - Detoxification, Rejuvenation Medicines, Conclusion and demo.

The Arya Vaidya Sala at Kottakkal in Kerala is renowned as a pioneer in various aspects of Ayurvedic practices. It also conceptualised the Prakriti Ayurvedic Centre in Chennai. The lectures will be delivered by the faculty from Prakriti centre.

Faculty - from Prakriti Ayurvedic Centre

The concept enshrined in the word,Renaissance is one of rebirth, rather than revival. It was a period when artists had sufficient technical expertise to achieve virtually any naturalistic effect they wished, coupled with a controlling classically-based intelligence which imposed visual harmony and compositional balance without eliminating detail.

And in the forefront of this movement was the genius, Leonardo Da Vinci.

This ambitious course unravels in six stimulating lectures the Living Myths of Da Vinci, Raphael, Michaelangelo and Titian. The lecture series will attempt to decode the Renaissance art ie. architecture, sculpture and paintings and will contextualise it within its culture and mode of patronage.

Day 1. What is Renaissance? Definitions of types of iconography or subjectmatter.
Day 2. Leonardo Da Vinci- A Spirited Genius
Day 3. Raphael- Classical serenity
Day 4. Michaelangelo- A Living Myth, Exploring Sculpture
Day 5. Michaelangelo- A Living Myth, Exploring Painting and Architecture
Day 6. Titian- Colour as opposed to line

Faculty - Ashrafi Bhagat, HOD, Fine Arts, Stella Maris College

Dakshinachitra and Hayagriva Study Circle join up to offer an interactive, educative two day residential camp on all you wanted to know about ASTRONOMY but were afraid to ask. The course being conducted by Dr.Nirupama Raghavan, India’s first woman astronomer and eminent scientist, will provide a practical, hands-on, up to date, non-mathematical summary of a complex subject. The participants will have access to a state of the art 8" telescope for viewing the night sky (subject to clear skies). The residential nature of the course promotes individual interaction with the course professor in an informal setting.

Outline of Lectures which will be delivered over the two days.

1. Introduction - Goals of the course- Definition of Reference Circles, Magnitudes - Constellations - Planisphere
2. Clockwork Sky - View from the earth- Work sheet review- Rotation- Role of Latitude- Revolution- Unveiling of Star Sphere - Compare with Planisphere- Fourth Motion- Procession
3. Astronomy and Festivals - Scales of Time Intervals- Day- Hour- Month- Year Seasons Calendar- Naksatra and Tithi - Festival Timing- Astronomy and Chronology
4. Journey Through the Solar Neighbourhood - Geocentric View of Planets- Travel to Planets- Space View of Planets - Comets - Solar System as a shooting Gallery - Origin of the Solar System
5. Life and Times of Stars - Measuring Starlight - Classifying Starlight - Universal Laws Clusters HR Diagram - Evolutionary Track of the Sun - Stars are born and They Die - Supernovae - We are made of Star stuff!
6. Grandma Universe - Milky Way Galaxy - Shapes of Galaxies - Galaxies Flying Away from each other - The Big Bang and after
7. Are We Alone in the Universe - Law of Physical and Chemical Evolution - Laws of Biological evolution?- Extra Solar Planets - Space Missions
8. Special Lecture - Where Religion, Art and Science mingle

Sky Observation at 6.30 pm, 9.30 pm, 4 am (optional)

Faculty - Dr.Nirupama Raghavan, India’s first woman astronomer and eminent scientist

This four-lecture series will trace the growth of urban centers in India with special emphasis on South India. The lectures will show how urban centers develop, the characteristics of urban centers, why some cities continue as important centers while some others decay.

The lectures will cover the following topics -

Characteristics of an urban settlement.
The importance of geography, trade, commerce, religion in the growth of cities.
Cities which still continue as important urban centers.
The growth of temple towns, royal capitals, strategic cities.
Temple cities and city of temples.
Ancient cities like Indraprashtha, Pataliputra, Ujjaini, Taxila, Peshawar, Kanchi, Madurai, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Chidambaram etc.
Their architecture and institutions.
The role of trade guilds, guilds of artisans etc

Faculty - Dr.Chitra Madhavan - Historian

Why does the Heart beat? How does the Heart beat? Why is the Heart linked with Romance? Does the Heart break? Learn all you need to know about this vital organ which is literally the 'Heart of the Matter'! This course is designed to educate us on what we should do with our heart and what we should not. Lectures on the heart and other related medical topics will constitute a comprehensive course- a MUST for all!

Topics covered will include:

Structure and Function of the Heart;
Circulation and the Heart;
Diseases of the Heart;
Blood Pressure and Coronary Heart Diseases;
Risk Factors for Heart Diseases;
How to prevent Heart Disease and
Heart Attack

Faculty - Eminent cardiologist Dr.K.P.Misra (Apollo Hospitals), Dr.Paul Ramesh (Cardio-Thoracic Surgeon), Dr.Zaheer A.Saeed (renowned Neurologist) and Dr.Bagyam (Radiologist,Apollo Specialities)

Lectures will be on The Broken Mirror - Understanding Modern Art with special emphasis on contemporary Indian art - by Ashrafi Bhagat

Lectures on Politics of Popular Art etc - by Muthukumaraswamy

Lectures/workshop on the artist and the market by Bangalore-based artist K.K.Raghava

Lectures on Art and Media - the role of the art critic - by Geeta Doctor

Lectures on Curating Art Shows - by Shalini Biswajit

Lectures on Art Funds

Course that take you through the magnificent art and architecture of temples of Orissa (12th and 13th Century) (which culminated in The Sun Temple of Konark, the biggest temple in India) as well as the gigantic temples of Cambodia (Angkor Vat and Angkor Thom), which were greatly influenced by the temples of India

Faculty - Dr.Prema Kasturi, Historian

Topics Covered:
Anatomy, Brain evolution & development, Brain facts & Brain mythology, Sensation and Perception, Neurons & neurotransmitters, Brain food, Movement, Memory and Language, Trauma & the brain, Neuroplasticity & Cortical modulation, Narcoanalysis/Hypnosis etc

The focus will be to introduce basic concepts about the working of the brain and interactive sessions to apply some of these concepts in a practical way

Faculty - Dr.Prithika Chary, Neurologist and Neurosurgeon

How do we calculate Time? What is a Yuga? Were the calculations of ancient Indians arrived at scientifically? And what about theories of Creation and calculation of the Calendar? It is evident from advances made by the present civilization that what was put down as mythology from ancient times are now coming true in the form of modern scientific breakthroughs. Is the past going to converge with the present in the future?

This three-lecture series of talks presented in multi-media format by D.K.Hari, Conceptuliser of BHARATH GYAN urges a fresh look at our ancient texts and encourages us to re-examine them scientifically in the light of modern developments.

Faculty - D.K.Hari, Conceptualiser of BHARATH GYAN

The course hopes to give an in-depth knowledge of the Bhakthi movement and Sufism and help the participant to recognize the similarities between the two. Religions differ vastly in mythology, cultural embedding, social practice, ritual, text, performance, even ethical emphasis. Only indepth spiritual experience reveals the passionate integration at the core. At the centre, in a flaming poetry of love and interrogation that removes the boundaries between devotee and God, is the recognition that the other is not-different from the self.

The title of this course is taken from a poem by Rumi, and captures the paradoxes implicit in far and near. It is difficult to imagine a fish being thirsty unless it is removed from the water, in which case it ceases to be alive. For the devotional poet God is infinitely near, as near as water to the fish and yet may seem at times, tantalizingly apart. The bhaktha can never have enough. Yet close as the water is to the fish, this very definition implies an otherness, an intolerable distance, the presence of two where the poet wants to see only one. So are the devotee and God, one or two? Each poet has a unique response.

While looking at Bhakthi, we explore the poetry of Andal, Kabir and the Virasaiva saints in some depth. We examine Rumi in detail and Yunus Emre and other prominent Sufis in brief. The Bhakthi and Sufi movements prize re-enactment rather than reading, and as these poems were often not written at all and meant to be sung not read, music will be used in the concluding session, to facilitate and recreate the absorption that is part of such a mode

Faculty - Dr.Sharada Bhanu

Its in our stars! How does the time and location of our birth influence our life? What did our ‘ancients’ learn from their observation of the constellations? Astrology as a subject is dismissed by skeptics while others swear by their stars.

Is Astrology a science? Then what do we need to know to understand better the effect of stars on man’s life? Is it possible to predict what the stars foretell?

This Hayagriva course attempts to enlighten us on an intriguing subject through a systematic study of the relation between astronomy and geography; birth charts; constellations and zodiacal systems; the 9 planets and 12 signs and their interaction; methods of prediction etc

An examined life is worth living, said Socrates. Today several issues - such as cloning, human rights, ecology, globalization, national identity, intercultural dialogue etc - are discussed in the media by economists, sociologists, journalists, legal experts and others. But the perspective of the philosopher is by and large missing. Is it because the philosophers are busy teaching traditional concepts in the class rooms unaware of their role in the day-to-day life situation.? Or is it because they have not learned to philosophise themselves, while repeating traditional answers to the contemporary problems? Hence a workshop is planned to provide an opportunity for the interested few to reflect on such questions interculturally.

1.What is philosophy? Who are the philosophers and in what way philosophy is different from other social sciences like sociology, anthropology, economics etc? Who are the great philosophers known in history? What is intercultural philosophy? Is there an Indian way of philosophizing? What is the difference between East and West perspectives? What is the Indian equivalent term for philosophy?

2.What is philosophizing? How do we philosophize on our life situation?

3.Aesthetics - Indian tradition? Philosophy behind the architectural designs - churches, temples and mosques.

4.Sustainable development and religion. Towards an eco-socio-economic Spirituality

5.Intercultural dialogue and Peace Education

6.Beyond Orientalism: Contribution of Indian thinkers to Intercultural philosophy

7.Values in leadership - Management principles in Tirukkural

The series of lectures on these ancient civilizations will focus on metaphors of power as manifest in their awesome, grandiose architectural projects, political institutions as founding of democracy and theocracy made evident in the supreme examples of church architecture.

Topics will include:

1. Introduction to the culture of SUMERIA
2. EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION-Old Kingdom. Pharoahs and the Afterlife
3. EGYPT- New Kingdom , Architecture, Sculpture and Painting
4. AEGEAN CIVILIZATION
Minoan Art: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting
Mycenean Art: Architecture and Pottery Painting
5. ANCIENT GREECE: Architecture, Sculpture, Pottery Painting
6. CLASSICAL GREECE - Architecture and Sculpture
7. BYZANTIUM - Architecture and Mosaic

The workshop will comprise lectures and interactive sessions that include certain yoga asanas, meditation, practical demonstration, recreation and a healthy diet regimen.

Topics to be covered will include:

-- The philosophy and historical background of Ayurveda
-- Building Blocks
-- Absolute Dietitics
-- Disease Pancakarma
-- Rasayana Chikithsa
-- Practical Demonstration etc

The course will give us an insight into Historical Archaeology of South India.

Topics to be covered will include:

-- Introduction and definition of Historical Archaeology taking up examples from Early Period (300 BC to 300 AD) to Medieval Period (300 Ad to 900 AD) and Later Medieval Period (900 AD to 1600 AD)

-- Architectural developments through the different periods and identifying the same

-- Epigraphy or the development of scripts. Deciphering scripts

-- Coins - evolution of coinage - circular, metal, the Sangam period, trade routes. Analysing coins as art objects

-- Archaeology of trade, Early history, Tracing trade, commodities, Rome - India contacts, Link with medieval period

-- Historical Archaeology restoration and conservation with the case study of the restoration of the Big Temple in Tanjavur

Faculty: Well-known historian and archaeologist - Dr.S.Suresh