The first workshop-cum-conference of a series called "The Archaeology of Bhakti" took place in the Pondicherry Centre of the EFEO from the 1st to the 13th of August 2011, and was organised by Emmanuel Francis (Hamburg University), Valérie Gillet (EFEO-Pondicherry) and Charlotte Schmid (EFEO-Paris). The aim of this event was to gather scholars and students from various disciplines (philology, epigraphy, art history, history) in order to show the necessity of exploring and confronting two important types of sources, images/visuals and texts, too often studied separately. The presentations given by the organisers focused mainly on Pallava art and epigraphy.
The participants presented in detail their current research related to the emergence of Bhakti (personal relation between a devotee and his chosen deity), mostly in South India. Presentations alternated with research field-trips in Kāñcipuram, Mahābalipuram, Cāluvam Kuppam, Trichy and Tiruveḷḷarai, during which participants have engaged in fruitful discussions in situ.
Pr. Padma Kaimal (Colgate University) and Pr. Alexander Dubiansky (Moscow University) were the guests of honor of the workshop. Were also participants: Pr. Katherine Young (Mac Gill University), Pr. Leslie Orr (Concordia University), Dr. Tracy Coleman (Colorado College), Dr. LiSa Owen (University of North Texas) and many students (JNU-Delhi, Paris Sorbonne & INALCO, University of Lausanne, Chicago University). Eminent Indian scholars (Pr. Y. Subbarayalu - IFP; Pr. R. Champakalkshmi - former Professor of JNU; Pr. V. Selvakumar - Tamil University; Dr. Sathyamurti - former ASI member) joined the conference, which took place during the last two days.

 workshops