Coimbatore: An international conference on `The Greatness of India: Sophisticated Science and Intellectual Art Practices of India-Tantra, Mantra and Yantra’, is being held here from February 3.

For the first time, concepts, theories and practices of the ancient tantra, yantra, mantra, beads, varmam, Ayurveda and Siddha medicines and alchemy, natyasastra and interface-pranayama were opening up to the world from the authentic sources at the conference, convenor and organising secretary Dr N Shunmugom told reporters here today. The conference was part of the year-long celebrations to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sister Nivedita.

The main objectives of the conference were to restore to the common people the valuable ancient everyday practices of lifestyle management put in place by ancient scriptures and bring them into university curriculum for the benefit of the young generation, he said.

Over 30 papers by experts would be presented at the two-day conference, Sri Ramakrishna Mission College of Arts and Science Tamil department head Shunmugom said. Academics of Tamil and Sanskrit would also present papers which would be discussed.

Around 700 persons from a wide spectrum of professions, like doctors, academics, students and members of public from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Delhi, Punjab, Puducherry and West Bengal and from Sri Lanka, the US, Australia, Belgium and Germany would be participating in the conference, he said.