A talk by Luther J Obrock, (Assistant Professor of Sanskrit Language & Literature), that examines the fifteenth-century Sanskrit histories of Kashmir written by Jonarāja and Śrīvara and traces the linguistic, formal, and narrative experiments these authors undertook in their poetic compositions.
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This event will be live streamed on the Institute’s FB page: ISASatUCBerkeley
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ABSTRACT: This talk examines the fifteenth-century Sanskrit histories of Kashmir written by Jonarāja and Śrīvara and traces the linguistic, formal, and narrative experiments these authors undertook in their poetic compositions. Their histories document and comment upon the changing political, religious, literary, and cultural landscape in Sultanate Kashmir. Both writing under the Shāh Mīrī Sultan Zayn al-‘Ābidīn (r. 1420-1470), they creatively and carefully contextualized their writings within the history of elite Sanskrit (particularly Kashmiri Sanskrit) literature while speaking directly to contemporary events and concerns of an increasingly Islamic and Persianate kingdom. In order to bring these nuances into sharper relief, this talk will present close readings of the Sanskrit in relation to other sources from Kashmir at this time, including Persian texts, built spaces, material culture, and epigraphy. A sensitive reading of Jonarāja and Śrīvara’s histories within their broader contexts offers tantalising glimpses into the complex processes underlying elite representation in Sultanate Kashmir. The continued valorization of Sanskrit in Sultanate Kashmir stands as a provocation to understand the way in which Sanskrit was used by specific agents in specific historical contexts in medieval and early modern South Asia.
SPEAKER BIO: Luther J Obrock is a Sanskritist. He is interested in the literary and cultural history of second millennium South Asia, particularly the production of Sanskrit literature during the Sultanate period. Dr. Obrock concentrates on kāvya, or elite ornate poetry in Sanskrit, and its continued use and relevance in medieval India. His current research focuses on literary histories of Kashmir from the twelfth through the sixteenth century. Dr. Obrock teaches a wide range of topics, including early Indian civilization, epics in South Asia, Hindu-Muslim religious interaction, as well as advanced Sanskrit readings. Before arriving at Berkeley, he was Sanskrit lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and Assistant Professor in South Asian Religions at the University of Toronto..
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PARKING INFORMATION
Please note that parking is not always easily available in Berkeley. Take public transportation if possible or arrive early to secure your spot.
Event is FREE and OPEN to the public.
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If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Puneeta Kala at pkala@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.
