Kaladarpana: The Mirror of Indian Art is a stimulative and perceptive survey of different aspects of Indian art, architecture and iconography. The book provides unparalleled source of insight into Indian art through the ages, incorporating he latest researches on the subject.
The volume is dedicated to the memory of Shri Krishna Deva, who devoted all his life to the study and research of Indian art, architecture, iconography and epigraphy besides field archaeology. He left an intangible mark as an expert specially in the field of Indian Temple Architecture.
The present volume, containing thirty-nine papers contributed by reputed scholars, is thus a befitting tribute to the memory of Shri Krishna Deva whose contribution to the cause of Indian art is second to none.
The strikingly illustrated book is a significant contribution to the field of Indian art and is valuable for students and scholars alike.
About the Author
Dr. Devangana Desai, art historian, is the author of Khajuraho-Monumental Legacy, 2000, The Religious Imagery of Khajuraho, 1996, Erotic Sculpture Of India - A Socio-Cultural Study, 1985, and over seventy papers on various aspects of ancient Indian art including terracottas, Mother Goddess, temple art and architecture, Ramayana scenes in sculpture, and Buddhist bronzes of Sopara. Dr. Desai is General Editor of the Monumental Legacy Series on the World Heritage Sites in India, being published by Oxford University Press. She is the Editor of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai. She is currently researching on the Museum Images of Khajuraho, as a Project of Franco-Indian Research, Mumbai.
Dr. Arundhati Benerji is the author of Images Attributes and Motifs: Studies in Early Indian Art and Numismatics and Early Indian Terracotta Art, editor of Harismriti (Papers presented in memory of Shri H. Sarkar), joint editor (with Gerd J.R. Mevissen) of Prajnadhara (Essays in honour of Gouriswar Bhattacharya) and over sixty papers on art, iconography and numismatics. As SA (Publication) in the ASI she is engaged in the editorial work of books being brought out by the ASI. She was awarded a fellowship to study the terracotta collections in the museums in UK. She was invited to the international conferences/seminars at Kathmandu, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Italy where she presented papers on the various aspects of terracotta art. She also visited Paris, Berlin and Rome for study and research in the various museums. Despite her busy schedule she finds time to persue her academic activities as evident from her academic activities as is evident from her book on the Terracotta Female Forms: Tradition Innovation and Evolution which will soon be published.
Preface
Kaladarpana - The Mirror of Indian Art is brought out in memory of Shri Krishna Deva, who devoted all his life to the study and research on architecture, art, iconography, epigraphy, besides field archaeology. He left an indefatigable mark as an expert in the field of Indian temple architecture, particularly on the North Indian temples with special reference to the temples of Central India. He was also a part of many significant explorations and excavations since 1937 which the Archaeological Survey of India undertook.
Shri Krishna Deva assisted Sir Aurel Stein in his archaeological explorations in Rajasthan, Bahawalpur and Baluchistan in 1940 and 1941. He worked with Shri N.G. Majumdar I Sind (Pakistan) in 1938. His association with Sir Motimer Wheeler between 1944 and 1947 during latter’s field work in India is also noteworthy. It was Shri Deva who classified and reported on the pottery from the excavations at Harappa, Taxila and Arikamedu. Among the excavations conducted by Shri Deva, mention may be made of Rajghat (Varanasi) in 1940, Nagar near Jaipur in 1943, Vaishali in 1950, Kumrahar (Pataliputra) in 1951-52.
By his systematic approach to the study of temple architecture - the topic most dear to his heart, he became an expert on the subject. He was in-charge of the Temple Survey Project for North India for a decade. He held the charge of Director of the Survey for nine years. After his superannuation from the active service, he was deputed to Nepal by the Government of India to study the sculptural art and iconography. He wrote a monograph on the Images of Nepal that was brought out by the ASI in 1981.
Shri Krishna Deva held a number of positions after his retirement from the ASI. He worked successively as Archaeological Adviser to His Majesty’s Government in Nepal and Director, Birla Academy of Art and Culture. He continued for over a decade as consultant to American Institute of Indian Studies, Varanasi, for the Encyclopaedia of Indian Temple Architecture for which he contributed extensively.
During his career he traveled widely and also participated in a number of Indian and international seminars on Indian art and archaeology. In 1961 he presided over the Technical Arts Section of the All India Oriental Conference in Srinagar. He delivered the Keynote Address at the International Seminar on the Art of Khajuraho in 1987. He delivered presidential addresses in several conferences on archaeology, art and numismatics. He was conferred Honorary Fellowship of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai in 1998.
He edited the Journal of Indian Society of Oriental Art (NS) besides contributing a large number of research papers and books, such as Temples of North India, Images of Nepal, Temples of Khajuraho Temples of India, Stone Sculptures of the Allahabad Museum, and the Excavation Report on Vaishali. Shri Krishna Deva also served as a consultant to the ASI for the project entitled ‘Inventory of Centrally Protected Monuments’. With this Project he remained actively associated till he breathed his last.
We feel extremely happy and gratified to dedicate this volume of articles contributed by eminent scholars in his revered memory. It has a collection of thirty-nine papers truly reflecting a wide spectrum of subjects ranging from architecture, art, archaeology, iconography and epigraphy. It is our warm tribute to this dedicated scholar who still inspires us.
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