The establishment of Vrndavana and the surrounding sacred sites was accomplished by a variety of Vaisnava groups originating in different parts of South Asia, writing not just in different languages (both Sanskrit and various vernaculars), but also reflecting different regional devotional traditions and their distinct theologies, ritual practices, and aesthetics. As such, Vrndavana was not just built in stone but also in theology, poetry, meditative and ritual practice, as well as art.
The Building of Vrndavana, a 2 day workshop held in Oxford, will will explore the complex history of Vrndavana’s early modern origins—from the late fifteenth century until the reign of Aurangzeb, when several of the traditions of Vrndavana moved further west due to political instability and persecution. As a part of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies research project “The Gosvami Era”, this workshop seeks to bring together scholars from across the disciplines to examine Vrndavana’s history, architecture, art, ritual, theology, literature, and the performing arts in this pivotal period, and how these various disciplines were used to create, develop, and map Vrndavana as the most prominent place of pilgrimage for devotees of Krsna.
For further information, programme and papers, please visit: https://buildingvrndavana.