Sahishnu Bhattacharyya

 

Contact: 

E-Mail: sahon.bhattacharyya@univie.ac.at

Acharya Shri Sahon “Sahishnu” Bhattacharyya joins MANTRAMS as a predoctoral researcher, bringing a rich interdisciplinary background in cognitive science, philosophy, and anthropology. He holds a Master of Science in Cognitive Science (Philosophy and Neuroscience) from the University of Osnabrück, Germany, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Calcutta, India. He is traditionally trained in Hindu ritual as a purohita (priest) and is also a sadhaka (practitioner) of eastern Indian tantra traditions.

Sahishnu’s research for MANTRAMS will focus on the material dimensions of mantras in contemporary South Asian religious practices. His project aims to study how mantras are inscribed, produced, and used across various material mediums in everyday religious life. By combining ethnographic fieldwork, material observation, and comparative analysis, his research will explore mantras beyond their traditional oral and aural roles, examining their visible and tangible presence in everyday contexts.

 

Guiding this inquiry are questions about how mantras shape social, spatial, and political dynamics—such as their role in reinforcing affective and territorial belonging, contributing to social cohesion, and interacting with political actors. Sahishnu’s work also emphasizes the reflexive nature of his position as a Hindu scholar-practitioner and ritualist, which provides a unique lens to enrich the research through embodied ritual experience.