Against the Grain - Prema Goet

On Thursday 4th May we are honoured to host a free in-store event with scholar and photographer Prema Goet, who will present his book Against the Grain, which features his stunning photography of various yogic and tantric practitioners from South Asia.

Prema Goet is an ex-worker and multi-disciplinary researcher whose main interest lies in the intellectual history, culture and languages of South Asia. He received his B.A. in Sanskrit and M.A. in Philosophy and Religion from The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) – University of London.  He is currently a researcher in visual-anthropology for The Śākta Traditions Research Programme at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, in Oxford UK. He is interested in Sanskrit textual sources,  asceticism,  performative ritual practices and phenomenum of experiences.  Prema has worked extensively with various groups of practitioners from South Asia  – documenting and producing an array of ethnographic works on tantric rituals, worship of the Goddess(es), aghora, and yogic practices. He has guest-lectured at various universities, institutions and independent stablishments across the globe, some of these include Oxford University, Regent’s University London, Lisbon Bookfair, Oxford Summer University in Kathmandu, etc. His 2019 exhibition at the OCHS, The Path of Śakti, was curated and introduced by Prof. Chris Dorsett from The Pitt Rivers Museum. Prema resides in London with his son and their cat, he has an interest in rock’n’roll, anarcho-syndicalism, digital humanities, game-theory, spirituality and magic, etc and is eager to engage and collaborate with open-minded persons.