Professor, Religious Studies

Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 2004
M.A., University of California, Berkeley, 2000
B.A. (Highest Honors), University of California, Berkeley, 1997
A.A., De-Anza College, Cupertino, California, 1995
Office:
Email: avenkatesan@ucdavis.edu

Current Projects

• Ansal and Her Magic Mirror: Manuscript under preparation for submission to Oxford University Press.
• "Of Decoration and Disguise: On Antal's Iconography" in preparation for submission to Journal of Vaisnava Studies.

Refereed Publications

• "Virtual Hinduism: Online Sources for the Study of Hinduism," Religious Studies Review 32.4, 2007.
• "How to Love God Like a Woman: Some Thoughts on Loving God in the Srivaisnava Sampradaya." (Invited Paper) Journal of Hindu Christian Studies, June 2007.
• "Why abandon a lovely rabbit to chase after a crow?" The talaivi in the matal poems of Tirumankaiyalvar. Tropes. Territories and Competing Realities, Toronto: The Toronto South Asian Review. 2007.
• Koyil: Invention, Imagination, Transmission and the Temples of Tamil Nadu: Essays in Honor of George L. Hart. Pondicherry: French Institute of Pondicherry, December 2006. (editor)
• "Divining the Future of A Goddess: The Araiyar Cevai as commentary at the Srivilliputtur Antal Temple." Nidan: The International Journal of Hinduism. December 2005.
• Antal's Secret Garland: Translations of Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Tirumoi. Under Review. American Academy Texts and Translations Series, Oxford University Press.

Book Reviews and Other Publications

• Fuller. C.J. The Revival of the Priesthood. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2003. In Journal of Religion, March 2007.
• Raj Selva and William Harman, eds. Dealing with Deities. New York: State University of New York Press, 2006. In International Journal of Hinduism, March 2007.
• Parameswaran, Mangalam R. Studies in Srivaishnavism. Journal of Vaisnova Studies, 2006.
• "Aesthetics," "Drama" and "Television and Radio" in Routledge Encyclopedia of Hinduism. eds Denise Cush, Catherine Robson, and Lynn Foulston. New York: Routledge Press, 2007.

• Fall 2006: American Academy of Religion Research Grant; American Institute of Indian Studies Senior Fellowship
• Fall 2005: Faculty Large Grant Research Award. St. Lawrence University
• Fall 2003-Spring 2004: Jeffrey Campbell Dissertation Writing Fellowship, St. Lawrence University
• Fall 2002: UC Berkeley. Dean's Normative Time Grant
• Spring 2002-Spring 2003: Tamil Chair Endowment Scholar
• Spring 2001: The Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award; Departmental Fellowship; Tamil Chair Research Grant
• Fall 2000-Spring 2001: Graduate Student Representative
• Spring 2000: Artsbridge Fellowship; Departmental Fellowship
• Fall 1998-Spring 1999: Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship for Tamil (FLAS); Regents Fellowship
• Summer 1998: Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship for Tamil (FLAS); Regents Fellowship
• Fall 1997-Spring 1998: Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship for Tamil (FLAS); Regents Fellowship