Events
Past Events
2026
Sanjay Patel: From Pixar to the Mahabharata
About the Event
The Department of Religious Studies at the USF welcomed illustrator, animator, writer,
and director Sanjay Patel for a conversation on storytelling, mythology, and visual
culture. Patel discussed his creative journey and the development of his recent work,
Mahabharata: Designs of Dharma. This talk explored how ancient epics can be reinterpreted
through contemporary illustration and animation, and how themes from the Mahabharata—such
as dharma, identity, and inner conflict—continue to resonate in modern storytelling.
Patel will also share insights into his creative process and the role of mythology
in shaping his artistic voice.
Date, Time, and Location
📅 Thursday, April 16, 2026
🕛 7:30 PM
📍 The Chamber I MSC 4200 I 4th Floor — University of South Florida
'Tapoyoga': Fasting and Karmic Purification in the Jain Tradition
About the Event
The Religious Studies Department, sponsored by the Bhagwan Padma Prabhu Endowment,
hosted Samani Pratibha Pragya, a Jain nun and scholar, who explores fasting as both
an ascetic ideal and a lived religious practice across monastic and lay contexts.
By analyzing doctrinal texts and modern interpretations, Samani Pratibha highlighted
the continuity and transformation of tapoyoga in relation to changing social, medical,
and ethical discourses, demonstrating how fasting remains central to karmic purification
for soteriological purpose while engaging contemporary concerns of health, wellbeing,
and religious identity.
Date, Time, and Location
📅 Thursday, February 26, 2026
🕛 5:30-7:00 PM
📍 The Chamber I MSC 4200 I 4th Floor — University of South Florida
2025
Special Film Screening: ALL ILLUSIONS MUST BE BROKEN
About the Event
The Religious Studies Department presented an exclusive screening of Laura Dunn &
Jef Sewell's film ALL ILLUSIONS MUST BE BROKEN. After a short reception with free
pizza, students, faculty, staff, and others were able to watch this documentary about
the American cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker, famous for his book The Denial
of Death. The film examines Becker's insights on mortality, nature, the purpose of
life, children's connection to existence, and the effect of technology.
Date, Time, and Location
📅 Monday, March 24, 2025
🕛 7:00 PM
📍 Charles William Young Hall (CWY) Second Floor
The Pain of Care: Power and Identity in Jain Stories of Motherhood
About the Event
We welcomed speaker Aleksandra Restifo, who discussed the various ways mothers in Jain literature strive to maintain control over both their own lives and the lives of their children.
Date, Time, and Location
📅Thursday, March 6th, 2025
🕛5:30 - 7:30 PM
📍Charles William Young Hall (CWY) Second Floor, Auditorium
12303 USF Genshaft Drive
Tampa, FL 33620