Kanchipuram is one of India’s so-called “seven holy cities,” to which Hinduism attributes a special role in achieving “liberation” (mokṣa) from the cycle of existence (saṃsāra), which is understood as a source of suffering. According to Hindu belief, there is a special connection in this city and its temples between the divine realm and the human realm, which is realized through rituals. The city is particularly “salvific,” a quality derived from the actions of the gods at this very place, for here the actions of the gods serve as a model for human conduct. In this way, the world of the gods becomes accessible and experiential to humans. The underlying medieval narratives remain popular to this day and are transmitted in a variety of ways: written down as texts in the pan-regional language Sanskrit and the regional language Tamil, immortalized as inscriptions on temple walls, depicted in stone reliefs, sculptures, and murals, passed down orally by local temple priests who explain the significance of the site to pilgrims and tourists, and also through the temple festivals that bring these narratives to life. Using the example of the wedding of two gods, which is celebrated annually by the entire city but is also accompanied by the weddings of hundreds of human couples, this lecture will shed light on the special closeness between the human and divine worlds in Kanchipuram.

About the Author: Prof. Dr. Ute Hüsken is the head of the Department of South Asian Cultural and Religious History at the Institute of South Asian Studies at Heidelberg University. After completing her undergraduate studies and earning her doctorate in Göttingen (1996) and her habilitation in Heidelberg (2002), she served as a project director in the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) “Ritual Dynamics” at Heidelberg University. In 2007, she was appointed professor in Oslo. In 2017, she accepted a position back in Heidelberg, where she has also been leading the project “Hindu Temple Legends in South India,” Academy of Sciences and Humanities at the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities , since 2022.

About the lecture series: For 20 years now, this public lecture series has been taking place, featuring presentations by scholars from the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities well Academy of Sciences and Humanities from its seven sister academies. The lectures are aimed at a broad audience and are designed to provide insights into the research being conducted. Afterward, there will be an opportunity to chat with the scholars over pretzels and wine in the Academy’s courtyard garden.

We are grateful that the vhs Heidelberg is also promoting the series.