Veda Society Modernity

Dr. C.M. Neelakandhan
B. 1952, M.A. Sanskrit Sahitya (University of Calicut, 1975), First class and First Rank, M. Phil. Sanskrit (Kerala University, 1976), Ph.D. Sanskrit (University of Calicut, 1985), teacher for 31 Years. Now Reader in Sahitya and Reader in charge of Vedic Studies at S.S.U.S., Kalady, Kerala. Guided many students for M. Phil and Ph.D., discovered several unpublished works in Sanskrit, participated and presented papers in many national and international seminars, delivered lecture series in many Universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and Karnataka University, Dharwar. Published / edited 12 books and several research papers. Member / Chairman of Statutory Bodies and Doctoral Committees of several Universities. Organized many national seminars, workshops, short term courses and public lectures. Member / Chairman of many cultural organizations. Co-ordinator of the National Seminar on Vedic Studies at Kadavallur Anyonyam, Kerala from 2002 onwards. Has carried out successfully many projects of national and international importance like the audio/vedio documentation of the Keraliya Jaiminiya Sämaveda tradition for 95 hours for the S.S.U.S., Kalady. Has won many awards.

Dr. K. A. Ravindran
B.1968, M.A. Sanskrit Sahitya first class and second rank (Calicut University, 1990), M.Phil. Sanskrit (Calicut University, 1993). Sub-editor of the revised third edition of the Sanskrit - Malayalam dictionary of Kanippayyur Sankaran Namboothirippad. Now senior lecturer in Sanskrit Sahitya, S.S.U.S. Kalady and working partly in the department of Vedic Studies. Ph.D. in Sanskrit in 2005 from 5.513.5., Kalady. Author/editor of five works. Co-ordinator of many workshops and National seminars.

Kadavallur Anyonyam is a traditional contest in the ceremonial chanting of Rgveda conducted once in every year in Kerala belonging to the Trissur and Tirunavaya Brahmaswam Mathas are the Participants. Such a kind of examination in tradition chanting is not found for other Vedas in Kerala or for any Vedas in other parts of India. Thus this is a unique feature in the Vedic tradition of India.

Scholars in Sanskrit/Veda/Indian history/Culture from all over India Participated and presented papers in the Seminars.

Anyonyam is being conducted for eight days in the middle of November every year and on almost all days of anyonyam, National Seminar was conducted from 3 P.M to 6 P.M presenting two or three papers on each day. Thus about twenty research papers were presented in the Seminar each year exploring the possibilities of Vedic Studies in different dimensions connecting the traditional and modern approaches with an interdisciplinary perspective.

Anyonyaparishath has already published some collections of articles presented in these National seminars in Malayalam Vedavicaram published in 2004 contains twelve articles presented in the seminars in 2002. Vedanmalum Antarvaijnanikapatthananna studies was published in 2006 which includes ten articles presented in the seminars in 2003 and 2004. Dr. Kalpakarm Sanakranarayanan of K.J. Somayya Research institute for Buddhist Studies Mumbai presented a paper on Vedas and Sraman tradition in English in 2003. the same has been published by Kadavallur Anyonyaparishath in Malayalam. In all these collections papers in English of scholars of national reputation are included translating them into Malayalam Still another volume in Malayalam Vedavanmayam Navasarasnikalum Putukazcakajum containing years will be published in Anyonyam festival in November 2007.

It was a long felt need of the Anyonyaparishath as well as researches and scholars in Vedic Studies to get a collection of the seminar papers published in English. It is being realized by the present collection entitled Veda Soceity Modernity articles presented in the anyonyam seminars as well as one or two newly added which are complimentary to the general theme and perspective are included in this collection. Thus this book contains thirteen articles in total. The articles cover wide and varied areas of Vedic studies and are authored by reputed scholars from different parts of India.