Contents: Preface. I. Rock art in India: 1. Various kinds of rock art. 2. Distribution and chronology. 3. Bhimbetka. 4. The purpose of rock art. 5. Dating the rock art. 6. Other forms of stone age art and architecture. II. The Harappan art: 1. Materials used. 2. Subject matter and common motifs. 3. Stone and bronze sculptures. 4. Terracottas. 5. Steatite seals. 6. Pottery paintings, metal art, glazing, etc. 7. Harappan architecture. 8. The continuity of Harappan traditions. III. Fundamentals of Indian art: 1. Religion and art. 2. Hinduism has no hierarchy amongst Gods. 3. Hinduism vis-a vis Christianity and Islam. 4. The Avataras of Visnu. 5. Buddha: the life and teaching. 6. Mahavira: the life and teaching. 7. Art and architecture. 8. Sacred structures. 9. Hindu temple. 10. Temples of North India. 11. Temples of South India. 12. Temples of Orissa. 13. The icons. 14. Symbols. 15. Hindu iconography: (i). Siva. (ii) Visnu. (iii) Brahma. (iv) The Sakta. (v) The Tantra. (vii) Ihamrga. 16. Mythology: what it is in Hinduism?: (i) Buddha. (ii) Bodhisattva. (iii) Jina. 17. Basic nature of Indian art. 18. Paintings. 19. Nine Rasas. 20. Tempera and Fresco techniques. 21. Differing attitudes towards Indian art. 22. The role of European travellers coming with Christian bias. IV. Indian art in historical perspective: 1. The terminology. 2. Vedic heritage. 3. Mauryan art (fourth-third centuries BCE). 4. Sunga-Satavahana art (second-first centuries BCE). 5. Kusana art (first-third centuries CE). 6. Bactrian, Mathura and Gandhara Schools of Kusana art. 7. Gupta art (fourth-sixth centuries). 8. Post-Gupta art – Phase I (sixth-eighth centuries): (i) Maitrakas art (sixth-seventh centuries). (ii) Early Calukyan art (sixth–seventh centuries). (iii) Rastrakuta art (eighth-ninth centuries). (iv) Pallava art (sixth-eighth centuries). 9. Post-Gupta art – Phase II (ninth-twelfth cent.): (i) Gurjara-Pratihara art (eighth-tenth centuries). (ii) Cola art (ninth-twelfth centuries). (iii) Pala art (eighth-eleventh centuries). (iv) Hoyasala art (eleventh-thirteenth centuries). (v) Orissa school (eighth-thirteenth centuries). (vi) Candela art (tenth-eleventh centuries). 10. Other mediaeval monuments and art traditions: (i) North India. (ii) South India. V. Iconography: the making of cult images: 1. Iconometric sources: (i) Texts governing the northern schools. (ii) Texts governing the southern schools. (iii) Non-iconometric or sastriya sources. (iv). Tantras. (v) Other works. 2. Some classification of images: (i) Cala or portable images. (ii) Acala or Stationary images. (iii) Purna or complete images. (iv) Apurna or incomplete images. (v) Santa images or images with pleasing countenance. (v) Asanta images or images with agitated countenance. 3. Mudras: (i). Hasta-mudras or hand poses. (ii) Pada-mudras or foot poses. (iii) Sarira-mudras or body poses. 4. Attributes or objects held in hands: (i) Weapons of war and chase. (ii) Household and agricultural objects and implements. (iii) Fruits. (iv) Flowers. (v) Animal world. (vi) Musical instruments. (vii) Others. 5. Asanas or sitting postures. 6. Asanas or pithas (pedestals). 7. Vahanas or mounts. 8. Mukutas and headgears. 9. Abhusana or ornaments: (i) Karnabhusana or ear ornaments. (ii) Kanthabhusana or neck ornaments. (iii) Vaksabhusana or chest ornaments. (iv) Kati-abhusana or hip ornaments. (v) Pada-abhusana or feet ornaments. (vi) Bahu and Bhuja-abhusana or armlets and wristlets. (vii) Nasa-abhusana or nose ornaments. 10. Paridhana or dress: (i) Bandha or belt. (ii) Vastra or cloth. (iii) Special dress of the Buddha. VI. Principles of iconometry: 1. Tala as main unit of measurement. 2. Angula as the first unit of measurement. 3. Height and girth measurements. 4. Measurements of different parts of the body. 5. Uttam, Madhyama and Adhama measurements. 6. Some textual differences. VII. Indian art beyond the Indian frontiers: 1. Sri Lanka, 159; Myanmar, 162; Thailand, 166; Cambodia, 170; Indonesia, 176. Select bibliography. Index.
"The book is a study of the fundamental principles of ancient Indian art and architecture, dealing with the essentials of Hindu thoughts and views on Godhead, iconography, iconometry, art symbols and symbolism. Referring to major classical Indian literary works shedding light on art and architecture, it undertakes a survey of Indian art and temple architecture from the third century BCE through the medieval period, highlighting the directional changes that marked the history of art, specifically sculpture and painting. It elaborately views the various terms and concepts associated with the field of art and iconography like mudras, asanas, pithas, explaining the nature of Buddhist and Jain deities as well as those of Hindu sects like Saivism, Vaisnavism and Saktism. Pointing out the importance of studying Indian temple architecture in order to fully appreciate Hindu art which was meant for propagation of dharma, it analyses the basic features of the temple architecture and its regional variants." (jacket)
