Francesco Brighenti (b. Venice, Italy, 1963) has travelled extensively in India in pursuit of his academic concerns around the living traditions of Hinduism. And, resultantly, having worked on the goddess-cults of Orissa (Eastern India) during 1995-97, he took his Ph. D. from the Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. Earlier, in 1991, he graduated in History from the University of Venice.Francesco Brighenti (b. Venice, Italy, 1963) has travelled extensively in India in pursuit of his academic concerns around the living traditions of Hinduism. And, resultantly, having worked on the goddess-cults of Orissa (Eastern India) during 1995-97, he took his Ph. D. from the Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. Earlier, in 1991, he graduated in History from the University of Venice. As a member of the Venetian Academy of Indian Studies: an Association of Indologists affiliated to the Department of Studies of Eastern Asia, University of Venice, Dr. Brighenti is presently researching upon the religious cults practised by different tribes of Orissa, like the Hill Saoras and the Kondhs, and their relation to the regional typologies of Hindu cults.