Eminent scholars from different countries will congregate for interaction and promotion of pilgrimage studies in Allahabad during the Ardh Kumbh Mela in January 2007.
Society of Pilgrimage Studies (SPS) in collaboration with IGU Initiative on Culture and Civilization for Human Development, Rome, will host a three-day international seminar on 'Sacred Places, Sacred Journeys' from January 11, 2007.
Convenor of the seminar and general secretary of SPS, Dr DP Dubey from Allahabad University's (AU) Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology informed that the seminar will focus on the esoteric as well as outer meaning of the heritage associated with the places of pilgrimage besides their cosmological power and spiritual significance.
The participant scholars from across the globe will present their research papers reporting new results of recent investigations in the seminar.
The themes of the seminar will include religion-environment interaction, evolution, sources, theories and approaches, cosmic geometry and mandala, pilgrim circulation, economy and infrastructure, pilgrimage archetype, hierarchy and pattern, speciality of time and temporality of space, rituals, functionaries and festivals, sects, saints and monastic organisations besides cultural symbolism, heritage preservation and legislation.
The participants from outside the city will be accommodated in the SPS pilgrim camp on the Tulsi Marg in the Mela area and facilities will be made available as per requirements of the pilgrims.
The organising committee includes Dr PB Singh Rana from Banaras Hindu University, Dr Kama Maclean from University of New South Wales, Dr Pushpa Tiwari from AU, Dr RB Singh from University of Delhi, Dr John Mckim Malville from University of Colorado, Dr Vijoy Sahay from AU, and Sunita Dwivedi. Dr Dubey said, "The seminar has been organised on the occasion of Ardh Kumbh to make the international scholars aware of the importance of the Ardh Kumbh which attracts more than 30 million pilgrims from all over the world.