Pondicherry
India
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Responsable: Dominic Goodall

École française d'Extrême-Orient
16-19 rue Dumas
605 001 Pondicherry, India

Tel: +91 413 233 45 39
Fax: +91 413 233 08 86 goodalldominic@gmail.com
administration@efeo-pondicherry.org


PRESENTATION
LIBRARY
Desk of a Valluvar
Desk of a Valluvar
Lecture by Alexis Avdeeff (doctoral student, EHESS)
06 JULY 12
Alexis Avdeeff delivered a paper in the EFEO centre of Pondicherry.
Title: UNVEILING DESTINY, Soothsaying, speech and practice of secrecy among the Valluvar astrologers of Tamil Nadu
Summary: In Tamil Nadu, Valluvar astrologers are well known figures of rural society. They are recognised for their expertise in soothsaying. Their word is renowned for its accuracy, as well as their predictions are believed to be infallible. Nonetheless, like any seer, their speech is not free from ambiguity. Indeed, as pointed out by Jean-Pierre Vernant, the diviner conceals more than he reveals. Thus in this lecture, I propose to highlight the place of secrecy within the consultant-astrologer relationship established during the astrological consultation, and what it reveals about local representations of destiny.


 lectures