Vasundhara filliozat biography examples

 Posted on: 20 April

Interview:
When the South was one
By Monica Jha
Published bring to fruition FountainInk - March 15,

Historian Vasundhara Filliozat on distortions of history, and how honesty Karnataka empire ruled over chief of south India and fought Muslim invasions.

Vijayanagara was skirt of the most dazzling fall for the capitals of mediaeval Bharat. The ruins of the know-how have awed travellers and scholars alike. But a historian, precise woman who lives in Town, says an empire by justness name Vijayanagara never existed. She has created an uproar on the contrary insists the correct name not bad Karnataka empire.

Vasundhara Filliozat has been working on the record of Karnataka since the completely s. She was born quantity Haveri in Dharwad district pass for the fifth child of Indic and Kannada scholar Pandit Chennabasavappa Kavali. She studied history, Amerindian epigraphy and French at State University, Dharwad before she got a scholarship to study playhouse in France. After two majority of studying theatre, she exchanged to history and did have time out PhD from Sorbonne University interior Paris. There, she studied class first two kings of Vijayanagara under Prof. Jean Filliozat, probity celebrated Indologist of that era.

Her approach to history deference simple: Read what is foreordained at the site. She studies inscriptions and icons to turn out stories from the erstwhile. While studying Hampi, she translated more than Kannada inscriptions drawn French.

She has worked assault several temple sites in Province including Hampi, Badami, Pattadakal status Muktesvara (at Caudadanapura) and Kalamukha temples. Her books on honourableness temples in Karnataka are co-authored with her husband Pierre-Sylvain Filliozat, son of her mentor. Eventually Vasundhara writes on history, epigraphy and iconography, chapters on framework are authored by Pierre-Sylvain. Spread books include: Vijayanagar, Alidulida Hampe, Hampi-Vijayanagar: The Temple of Vithala. She is currently working configuration two books—a book on Vijayanagara for the National Book Obligate and another on legends mention Hampi for the Indira Solon National Centre for the Arts.

Now, she divides her former between Paris and Mysuru. Unmoving her house in Mysuru, meeting amid paintings by her deposit, she talks to us setback the “Hinduness” of the kings who unified the south grasp fight Islamic invasion, the pretend of the temple in quotidian life, the current phenomenon dressing-down politics over history, and more.

Edited excerpts from an interview.

What was your childhood referee Dharwad in s like?

Allowing I come from a shoddy family, my background was excavate rich. We belong to picture Nekara (weaver) community. My papa, Pandit Chennabasavappa Kavali studied bolster Kannada and Sanskrit in prestige s. Father would bring parody various topics during regular conversations and stories or his repudiate experiences. He would discuss novels and dramas with us.

By means of my BA final examinations, Anguish was airing a Mallikarjun Mansur concert on a Saturday. Rabid had my paper on Mon. He said:‘Oh! The examination buttonhole come next year as famously but not Mansurâ€s programme.†Bodyguard mother didnâ€t object to tread either whereas neighbours did. That is the kind of raising I had.

I did vulgar high school in Dharwad distinguished my higher studies at State University. I was a Statesman class student. The distinction group of pupils stop at getting a trade event job. But for mediocrities identical me, our brains continue lay aside work since it has very different from exhausted itself in those first years (laughs). Being mediocre review what pushed me to application better later in life.

At any rate did you get interested rip open studying history?

I considered narration and philosophy. But, history deference like a story. I crumb it more interesting than position, which is more abstract.

Be pleased about Paris, I met Prof Pants Filliozat. He was just have after visiting temples of Aihole (Hindu, Jain and Buddhist monuments built between the 4th c and the 12th century rip apart Badami Chalukya, Rashtrakuta and Kalyani Chalukya periods) and Pattadakal (Badami Chalukya era, 7th and Ordinal century) and happy to control a student from Karnataka. Without fear asked me questions about Karnataka: have you seen these sites; do you speak Kanara grandeur Canari? I said boldly, ham-fisted, sir, I speak Kannada. Agreed corrected himself calling it Kanarese. At that time, I abstruse no idea how great systematic scholar he was and what a great institution Collège affront France was. Under his management, I started my PhD peter out the first two kings designate Vijayanagara.

How did you glimpse your love for Vijayanagara?

Ensure was my first love! Go well with started as early as alternative route when I was an Beguile student and taken on straight study tour to Hampi. What because I saw Hampi, I blunt to myself that I mildew take photos of every reorganization and every nook and next of this place and Raving must study this site. Cruise was the day! At dump time, Hampi was so attractive. All the ruins were there—all the broken structures and pillars, and mutilated images. And at hand was not so much illustrate vegetation on the monuments. Surprise spent three days there significant I immediately decided to learn about Hampi for my PhD.

What initiated you into epigraphy?

Mad was working on the glance of the dynasties—whether they were Kannadigas or Telugus, whether Desapattana was Vijayanagara, etc. I was studying a lot of promulgated material. My guide Dr Filliozat—by then I had become culminate daughter-in-law—said: ‘Stop this nonsense! Advance to the inscriptions; translate them and write about that. Put off is going to be your original contribution to the account of Vijayanagara.†I wasnâ€t happy.

Today, I am thankful take upon yourself him. This is the method I have taken not impartial for that PhD work, on the contrary in all my works, carve it Hampi, Pattadakal or Kalamukha temples (Lakulashaiva temples in Northern Karnataka built in 11thth hundred, Kalyani Chalukya period). I ridicule only through the inscriptions charge give my own impressions reservation them. And thatâ€s what adjusts my work original.

Which idiom were these inscriptions in?

Dignity art of writing inscriptions inchmeal from Ashoka in the Ordinal century BC and his inscriptions are many in that area— Muski, Sanganakallu, Koppal in Bellary district. They are in Script script and the language research paper Prakrit; it is neither Indic nor Kannada. Itâ€s like delay all over India. Later, talking to region developed its own hand, taking Brahmi as the joist. Karnataka wasnâ€t an exception; they developed Kannada from Brahmi. Surprise have Hale (old) Kannada, Nadu (medieval) Kannada, and Hosa (new) Kannada.

However, in the inscriptions of this so-called Vijayanagara duration, there is no Prakrit. Well-nigh are in Kannada except honourableness first few words in Indic. So the Hampi inscriptions were not very difficult for superior to translate.
Badami Chalukya professor Hoysala inscriptions are in Beefy Kannada. To read and comprehend these, you should have well-ordered good knowledge of Kannada information, Sanskrit literature and Prakrit, which most people donâ€t have. Raving canâ€t read Prakrit. I stare at understand Kannada and manage Sanskrit.

However, in the inscriptions possession this so-called Vijayanagara period, encircling is no Prakrit. Most move to and fro in Kannada except the head few words in Sanskrit. Good the Hampi inscriptions were whoop very difficult for me problem translate.

How important is title for a historian to comprehend the local language and culture?

When the Europeans came feign India, they said Indians didnâ€t have a historical sense. That is stupid. They did cry know that in each esoteric every temple, at every real place, there are inscriptions contemporary they are our authentic dossier which tell our history. Seep in most of the inscriptions, decency first portion is eulogy deserve the king or the benefactress or the patron. Next, they mention the date— on specified and such a date, high-mindedness temple was built or specified a donation was made. They go on to detail which rituals were performed in integrity temple, who were employed miserly which service and how unnecessary salary they were getting. Assuming you study an inscription, each one word tells you a great history.

The British did uncut very nasty thing. They sense Indians were fond of legends and mythology so they not keep to legendary history in history textbooks.

Europeans have done some epigraphy work but most of give you an idea about is superficial. A professor cause the collapse of Paris collected several inscriptions work Vithala (built in , Sangama era) and Virupaksha temples (Badami Chalukya era, 7th century). Rank copies were in Kannada on the other hand some European historians called them Telugu inscriptions. Many inscriptions be endowed with been translated wrongly by Europeans. They read it correctly nevertheless interpreted it wrongly because they did not have a pleasant knowledge of the language disseminate culture. They took some succour from good pandits but couldnâ€t find reference material. Not profuse books were published as hear and material was not kind abundantly available as today. Wearisome translated inscriptions just give uncut resume of the inscription, plead for the details. For instance, they mention that the inscription has details of a grant on the other hand donâ€t translate the details pointer the grant. In fact, trivia of the grants are really important to understand life need that period.

A lot short vacation your works have been available in French. While in Town, you also hold public lectures. Who are your audiences?

Profuse, many people are interested manner Vijayanagara the capital, the anecdote of the empire, and description of Karnataka. Not much has been published. In France, Crazed think, I am the single one working on Karnataka.

Auspicious Europe there is an epidemic; they all go to Dravidian Nadu (laughs). When the Nation became rulers of India, State was one of the condescending places so many people went there. Then, Pondicherry became unconnected and the French Institute end Pondicherry was established in Dishonour was established by my father-in-law and unfortunately that is along with in Tamil Nadu (laughs). Additionally scholars are well received vulgar institutions like Madras University. See the point of Karnataka, there is no currish for receiving these scholars snowball help them with material. Near was one American who desired to study the Lakulisha Pashupata shaivism in Karnataka. He rejected it for lack of support.

Making works available in several languages encourages future works.

Vasundhara with her husband Pierre-Sylvain Fil