This book is unique, as it portrays food as capable of evolving the individual at the same time as giving delight to the mind. It shows how food can be both tasty and healthy at the same time. The food in this book not only tastes divine but it also gives a Taste, for the Divine.

The Taste Divine: Indian Vegetarian Cooking the Natural Way

Vanamali

Cookbooks, Food & Wine

Aryan Books

Nalanda as a monastic institution in the time of Buddha emerged into the greatest academic and spiritual centre of Asia in the early medieval times. This alludes to successive stages of development in Buddhism from native realism of the early monastic order to developed metaphysics of the Prajnaparamita and Yogacara philosophies which revolutionized the capacity of thinking of men. Nalanda also ushered in a new school of art. It is acceded that Indian art in the earliest stage was based in six centres as Gandhara, Mathura, Sanchi, Sarnath, Ajanta and Amaravati. If the Gandhara school has analogies with the antiques-Etruscan intermixed with the Greco-Roman, from which the art of Italy flashed in Christian art and similarly other centres flourished with composite features, the Nalanda school like the other five schools, being purely Indian in conception, traces its roots into the sculptures of Sarnath and Mathura. It has its own ethos and historical development.

The Heritage of Nalanda

C. Mani

Documents the long history of nomadic, hunting gathering way of life during the bronze age, where in India, the culture had been so for thousands and thousands of years.

Vishvarupa: Paintings on the Cosmic Form of Krishna-Vasudeva

Neena Ranjan

Arts & Photography

The volume is the outcome of an effort to bring into print the proceedings of an International Seminar on The Art of Central Asia and the Indian Sub-Continent in Cross-Cultural Perspective (1st century CE-14th century CE) organized by the Department of History of Art, National Museum Institute, in March 2007. The work contains scholarly and thought-provoking papers by distinguished art-historians, historians and other leading intellectuals of the world. These scholars come from reputed universities and institutions of Asia, Europe and America. What makes the volume distinctive is not only the variety of themes that it embraces but the intimate glimpses which it provides into some of the lesser-known but otherwise important aspects of Central Asian art. The essays, twenty-eight in number, encompass diverse aspects of the art of Central Asia, and thus cover a large geographical expanse. While some of them offer a scholarly discussion of the sources of Buddhist art in Central Asia and the scribes and artists who flourished in the region, some others provide an in-depth analysis of the Buddhist art as it thrived in such important regions as Gandhara, Kucha, Kizil and Dunhuang. Again, there are papers which provide an interesting insight into the cross-cultural facets of Central Asia, connections between Buddhism and West Asia, and the monasteries and shrines that existed in the region. The study of Buddhist and Hindu iconography is the theme of some other stimulating papers. The strikingly illustrated book is a significant contribution to the field of Central Asian studies and is valuable for students and scholars alike.

The Art of Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent: In Cross Culture Perspective

Anupa Pande

Hindu and Buddhist Monuments and Remains in South-East Asia

Amar Nath Khanna

This work is a comparative study of two Sufi shrines, one located in Delhi, and the other, at Panipat (Haryana), which are affiliated to an antinomian order known as the Qalandar. Antinomian groups do not follow the Islamic tenets as enshrined in the Shariat, and that is why they are called Beshara ('without the law'). Sufi orders following the Shariat are known as Bashara ('with law'). Although the Beshara are divided into a large number of groups, most of which have disappeared with the passage of time, the group that has caught social imagery in India (and also, South Asia) is of the Qalandars. This study, conducted from the perspective of historical anthropology, combining the first-hand fieldwork with a study of historical documents, shows that the Qalandar saints deviated considerably from the cultural practices for which they were infamous. Being Qalandar, therefore, was more a matter of 'mind' and 'thought' than of 'living' in that way. The shrines chosen for study are of Abu Bakr (in Delhi) and Bu Ali (in Panipat). The study compares their respective histories and social organizations, submitting that when Sufi shrines are Waqf managed, then they are far more Islamized than otherwise. Further, this study shows that the theoretical distinction made between Bashara and Beshara is blurred in reality. Unless one is told that Abu Bakr and Bu Ali were Qalandar saints, one would not come to know about their affiliation from an empirical study of their shrines. Social life in these shrines is similar to that of the Chishti (and other Bashara) shrines. Historically, it appears that the rebelliousness of Qalandars decreased when they settled down, and, in some cases, had their Khanqahs. They also established the relations of cordiality and symbiosis with Chishti saints. In other words, this work is a contribution to the understanding of Sufism as it is practised in India.

The Wandering Sufis: Qalandars and Their Paths

Kumkum Srivastava

Since 1997 Professor Lal has published four books dealing with various aspects of the archaeology of ancient India and the Vedic literature. But all these were research-oriented. He thus felt that there was a need to address the common reader. Hence the present book. Professor Lal tells the reader, with ample photographic illustrations, that almost every aspect of Indian culture is deeply rooted in the past, which is at least 5,000 years old. He then gives an integrated picture of the civilization of those days - variously called the Harappan, Indus or Indus-Sarasvati Civilization. Thereafter he deals with the ethnicity of the authors of this great civilization. With solid arguments, he refutes the theories that there was an 'Aryan Invasion' of India, which destroyed the Harappan Civilization or that there was an immigration of the (BMAC) people from Central Asia. He demonstrates that in all likelihood the Harappans themselves were the Vedic people and were indigenous. Further, archaeological and literary evidences combine to suggest that some time in the second millennium BCE a section of the Vedic people themselves emigrated westwards to Iran and even up to Turkey, contributing their mite to the local culture. It is hoped that the reader will enjoy going through this book.

How Deep Are the Roots of Indian Civilzation?: Archaeology Answers

Politics & Social Sciences

B.B. Lal

Archaeology

Apsaras in Hoysala Art: A New Dimension

Rekha Rao

The Great Temple at Tanjavur is a visual representation of Cosmic power on earth that remains, according to the pious wish of the builder, so long as the sun and moon lasts. The God who inhabits this abode is said to be seated with his consort on the summit of the metaphysical mountain surrounded by a circle of peaks in which the divine power descends in diminishing potency as it comes down gradually and takes his abode at the peak of the circle, appropriate to his direction and also the relative importance in the hierarchy. So each peak is a virtual temple. This metaphysical mountain is called the great meru- Mahameru, which forms the basic concept of the Brhadisvara temple of Tanjore. Meru, the mythical mountain is said to be a golden mountain. True to its nature, Rajaraja covered the superstructure of this temple with gold, that made this loftiest golden temple at that time. The images one sees on the upper tiers represented with bow and arrow in their arms are the innumerable Rudras called Sata-rudras, who are said to move in the upper spheres and represent the sun's rays, a representation unique to this temple. This temple also portrays the five forms of Panca Brahmans, Tatpurusa, Aghora, Sadyojata, Vamadeva and Isana, in individual sculptural forms and enshrined in the lower niches. With four sides of the sanctum provided with openings and its height exactly double its width at the base, the lofty tower fulfills all requirements of the Meru type of temple architecture. The Brhadisvara temple locates for the first time in Indian history, the 108 forms of nrtta karanas on the upper story around the sanctum wall in sculptural form and reflects the concept of cosmic space in which Siva's dance takes place. The available karanas are discussed in this volume for the first time in the light of Abhinavagupta's commentary and also the views of modern scholars. Every structure in the temple is dated with the help of inscriptions. The story is taken through the centuries and its change in meaning and ritual are brought out in this volume which points out what a Hindu temple mean when in full form and through the centuries. The personality of the builder, the role of Rajaguru in planning and guidance and also the names of architects who designed and carved the sculptures and executed the lovely paintings are also furnished in this volume which makes it an invaluable work on the temple.

Brhadisvara Temple: Form and Meaning

R. Nagaswamy

Presently, one of the prominent debates in Indian History remains the eighteenth century period that revolves around the relationship between political stability and culture. Eighteenth century marked a significant stage in the Maratha history since in this century the Maratha rule expanded in North India and Karnataka. This century also witnessed an important position granted to the post of the Peshwa, as seen from the sanad of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shahu in the name of Peshwa, bestowing upon him total administrative authority. The political connections with the new provinces outside Maharashtra brought with them the streams of a new culture to the Deccan. Historical records reflect upon the intention of the Peshwas and their sardars to create the prototype especially of the culture of North India. Various dimensions of new culture such as Persian language, luxurious items, music and dance entered the Deccan and blended with its prevalent cultural characteristics. The eighteenth century, towards its close, also witnessed the entry of European culture into the Deccan. The book shows how cultural dynamism was operative in the eighteenth century Deccan with special reference to the Peshwa period. The downfall of Maratha Empire took place in 1818 and hence the discussion in the book goes beyond the eighteenth century. In conclusion, the book takes a stand that culture thrives in spite of political instability and that it migrates in search of patronage. When culture settles in the new patron house, its blend with the local trend is inevitable and thus the process paves the way for a composite culture.

Eighteenth Century Deccan: Cultural History of the Peshwas

Varsha Shirgaonkar

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