Geography, Cosmos and the clash of indigenous and colonial knowledge systems Taking Gurajada Appa Rao's seminal Telugu plays Kanyasulakam and Kondubhatteeyam as a starting points, Dr Srinivas takes us through an exciting journey on how the earth's geography and the cosmos were imagined, felt and portrayed in our literature, art and sculpture through centuries and how the modern scientific outlook ushered in by British colonial education system created enormous controversy and discussion, awe and surprise which lasted for nearly a century, before that outlook or a big part of it became part of our own culture and existence.

About the speaker: Srinivas Sistla (b.26-08- 1962) completed B.Com. at the Hindu College, Guntur, B.F.A. (Art History) at CAVA, Mysore, and M.F.A. (Art Criticism) at the College of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Baroda. At present Sistla is working as Associate Professor in art history and aesthetics in the Department of Fine Arts, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam. Sistla has published several books in English and Telugu. More recent books include his translation of Sri Krishna Deva Raya’s Amuktamalyada, Allasani Peddana’s Manu Charitra and Gurajada’s Short Stories. Sistla received a research grant from the UGC, and the Junior Fellowship from the HRD Ministry, Government of India.