Shop

Foundations of Oriental Art and Symbolism: Introduction to Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist Art

It is an edited collection of the author’s most important articles on oriental art and symbolism, with illustrations from the traditional oriental civilizations. These illustrations provide an insightful descriptions and explanations, with a small taste of the beauty that permeated the traditional Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist worlds – a beauty that has in large part been overwhelmed and swallowed by our modern era.

Part I, ‘Oriental Art‘, begins with Burckhardt’s introduction to traditional oriental art. In the following three chapters the author explores the artistic foundations of each of the three great oriental religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism, focusing particularly on the Hindu temple, the Buddha image, and Chinese landscape painting.

Part II provides insights that enable us to compare the underlying spiritual values that are the foundation for traditional cultures, with the quantitative analyses that are the starting point for today’s technological societies. In the following five chapters Burckhardt then explores examples of selected recurring symbols in the oriental worlds, such as the mirror, the sacred mask, and the serpent and dragon.

Vastu: Astrology and Architecture: (Papers presented at the First All India Symposium on Vastu, bangalore, held on June 3-4, 1995)

Vastu Sastra an important limb of Jyotisa or astrology is an ancient science and study of architecture and engineering.

The present volume is an outcome of a symposium on Vastu. One of the goals of the symposium was to revive the lost glory of Vastu and show its relevance to modern times. The book covers different aspects of construction from planning to execution. It underline the role of Jyotisa astrology in Vastu principles.

The book will stimulate greater interest in ancient Vastu principles amongst modern architects and enginers and present them a new perspective which will raise their creativity to new untouched heights.

The book has been divided into three broad sections covering different aspects of Vastu Silpa-I. Vastu and its Relevance to Modern Times; II. Vastu and Jyotisa; and III. Vastu and Temple Architecture comprising thirty-three articles in all. Their contributors represent a range of viewpoints on Vastu principles. All write with intelligence and insight keeping in view its relevance with modern times needs of architecture and engineering.

Stupa and Its Technology: A Tibeto-Buddhist Perspective

Among all the religious monuments of the world, the stupa has the longest

uninterrupted historical development. Though modelled after the Indian

prototype, the stupa architecture was developed in all the countries where

Buddhism had flourished. Over time, the structural shape of the stupa

underwent significant modifications in India and the other Asian Buddhist

countries.

The present study shows how Tibet became a treasure house of Buddhist

culture and literature–highlighting important texts dealing with stupa

architecture. Various ritual activities associated with the construction of

the stupa are described along with the eight fundamental types of

Tibeto-Buddhist stupas and their main structural components. A survey of

the stupas found in the upper Indus Valley in the Leh region of Ladakh

shows their similarity to the Tibeto-Buddhist tradition. The value of the

book is enhanced by an appendix with English translation of four important

Tibetan texts preceded by transliteration.

This monograph is the first in the new sub-series of the IGNCA on the

Buddhist stupas, which would not be restricted to India alone. It is hoped

that such studies will enable the art-historians and archaeologists to

understand this important structural form in totality in relation to its

wide geographical spread and the distinctive features of particular

developments in different countries.

Silpa Prakasa by Ramacandra Mahapatra Kaula Bhattaraka: Medieval Orissan Sanskrit text on temple Architecture

“The Silpa Prakasais an important addition to the existing literature on Indian Silpa Texts.” the text goes into a great detail of the architecture, the iconography and the symbolism of all the parts of the temple. Its unique contribution lies in the description of Yantras or symbolic diagrams underlying the architecture as well as sculpture. This edition will be extremely valuable for understanding not only temple construction but the entire symbolism underlying the unique temples of Orissa.

Indian Rock Art and its Global Context

This is a unique volume in the history of rock art studies, meant at once

for the advanced scholar, serious student and the curious but conscientious

layman, co-authored by K.K. Chakravarty and R.G. Bednarik, who co-chaired

the indian Rock Art session of the World Archaeological Congress 3 at Delhi in

1994. It is a synoptic but comprehensive survey, illustrated by 221

photographs and sketches, including 172 photographs in colour. The two

scholars have not only described the latest state of research on rock art,

but also transported rock art studies into the realm of interdisciplinary,

inter-cultural analysis. Buttressed by an indicative map of the rock art

regions, a list of major up to date direct dating results on rock art, a

glossary of keywords related to spatial, temporal, technological,

managerial categories, and an index, this volume blends precise,

dispassionate descriptions with eloquent evocations. It blends conclusions

distilled from rigorous, hard headed field research with penetrating

criticism and assessment of the evidence. It combines a ruthless brevity

and density with extraordinary felicity and clarity of language. Above all,

it is an wonderful attempt at dealing with the problems of understanding,

which dog human attempts to comprehend the meaning and shape of human

creativity.

Residential Architecture in Bhoja’s Samaranganasutradhara: Introduction, Text, Translation and Notes

The Samaranganasutradhara, composed in the 11th century and commonly attributed to King Bhoja of Dhara, is one of the most remarkable silpasastras of northern India. Consisting of more than seven thousand slokas, it contains not only detailed descriptions of temples, but also a comprehensive exposition of residential architecture. This book is an annotated translation of the central passages on residential architecture accompanied by a study of the Samaranganasutradharaês sources, the problem of authorship, and related matters. It is rounded off by a comprehensive glossary of technical terms and illustrations.