Chennai: Similarities between Hinduism and Incan culture of Peru have drawn a senior Peruvian embassy official in India to do a research into the tenets of Hindu philosophy, and he has chosen Advaita (non-dualism) and its proponent Adi Sankara as the subjects of his study. Carlos A Irigoyen Forno, deputy chief of mission in the Peruvian embassy in New Delhi, recently registered with Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya (SCSVM), Kancheepuram, to do research on Advaita and Adi Sankara. Dr Vishnu Pooty, dean, Sanskrit department (SCSVM), says “Carlos was in Kancheepuram on June 5 and registered with the university to do a research in Advaita and Adi Sankara. It is a four-year course and he intends to do the research part-time.” “I read Mahabharata around 45 years ago when I was 14. The book was in English and I found plenty of similarities between Hinduism and the Incas of Peru,” Forno told The Times of India. Asked why he chose Advaita and Adi Sankara as topics for research, he says, “The second book I read was on “Maya” (illusion) and in that I found Adi Sankara.” On choosing the Kancheepuram University for Research, Forno says, “The university is well known across the globe and I just found out the formalities by coming to Kancheepuram, the temple town. I also visited the Kamakshi Amman temple.” The Incas, who are part of the tribal population of Peru, share many things in common with Hindus, he says, adding that they have the same belief in worshipping the sun and the moon, besides the eagle (Garuda) and the snake. “Ancient Incas and pre-Incas, the Carals, about 4,960 years back, share common beliefs with Hindus, especially with regard to worship.” According to Pooty, “Forno discussed ways and means for cooperation between the university and Peruvian institutions. There are similarities between the ancient system of Indian medicine and what is prevalent in Peru’s Inca culture. The deputy chief of mission wanted cooperation in bio-diversity and ancient medicines as plenty of herbs used by indigenous medicines to treat diseases in India are also used by the Incas.” On trade between India and Peru, there is a great demand for gold ornaments and Indian silk sarees in Peru, which is a major producer of gold and silver. The governments can develop trade in these items, says Forno. According to Pooty, prior to the Peruvian diplomat, two other foreigners have registered with the university. A Chilean professor, Carla Beatriz, has registered to do a comparative study of Tamil and Spanish culture. Also, a Singapore national had received a PhD in Sanskrit from the university.