Bengal Inscriptions: C. 1500 A.D. to C. 1800 A.D. (In 2 Volumes)

$448.20

$498.00

In stock

Free & Quick Delivery Worldwide

The present work, the fruit of labours, both intellectual and, to a large extent, physical, over the years, covers a subject of immense value. To scholars- historians, epigraphists and those interested in a study of the continued traditions of the country down into the late medieval period, this Corpus of inscriptions, in Sanskrit, Old Bengali, and Oriya, on temples distributed over ten districts of the present day West Bengal, presents a treasure-house of material from contemporary times. Based on original documents in the form of stone and terracotta records gathered from the very depth of the society, it lays bare almost a complete picture of the society of the times in Bengal as part of the wider scence obtained in India.

Divided in four main Sections, the work deals with 118 inscriptions that fal within the period set for the book (c. 1500 A.D. -c. 1800 A.D.) in an extensive introductory ANALYSIS of the texts studies from various aspects and divided into seven sub-sections (Section I), with teh Texts of the records in Roman script with full diacritical marks and their English rendering and elaborate explanatory Notes (Section II), a set of valuable Appendices and Indices (Section III)- which all are followed by a Supplementary Section (Section IV) that brings together a random collection of those records, 44 in number, that came to the notice of the author in course of his investigations but fall outside the time-limits set for the main study.

Critically analysed, drawing largely from the epics, the Puranas and the Dharmasastras, and from the rhetorics and the classics in literature, this basic material, in this hitherto unexplored field of late medieval epigraphy of Bengal, is invaluable in its own right, for a proper appreciation of the cultural history of this part of India for the three hundred years almost immediately before the advent of the British. It reveals the religious thinking, literary achievements and many other aspects of social life- which all reached the highest peak of glory before dwindling down once for all.

In its originality of the material, the manner of presentation and the precision of analysis, the work is sure to remain a source-book for all future researchers in the field. It is, indeed, a tribute to the deep sympathy and wide erudition of the author, so uniquely equipped for the task.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR A K Bhattacharyya

A renowned scholar in East Asian Art in addition to his contribution to the study of all branches of Indian art, Professor A.K. Bhattacharyya has made a mark as an art-historian since long. His other interests include epigraphy and numismatics in which he has well-known publications. One of his works on Aspects of Perso-Arabic Epigraphy of India has earned worldwide commendation. His visits to Japan four times since 1968 and upto 1980, include a stay for a year in that country on a Japan Foundation Fellowship which he utilized in visiting almost all places of Buddhist interest, studying temples and sculptures. He took special care to study the stone sculptures in the southernmost island, Kylshi, by personal visits to the caverns and the rock-cut images in the Oita Prefecture and a few other places. Back from the study-tours in the Republic of China and Japan, Professor Bhattacharyya was awarded the Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship for his wide range of contribution to the study of the art of India and abroad. Among his works, A Corpus of Dedicatory Inscriptions for Temples of West Bengal; A Pageant of Indian Culture "Art & Archaeology; Historical, Cultural and Political Aspects of Perso-Arabic Epigraphy of India; Development of Buddhist Iconography in China, Korea and Japan from Indian Concepts; Buddhist Stone Sculpture of Japan; Thai Buddhist Iconography" Calcutta University on is dissertation: Studies in Jaina Iconography. Academically he has the most distinguished records and his linguistic equipment is the most unique in India, being a graduate in Arabic, and B.A. (Hons.) and M.A. in Sanskrit with a First class. He also secured the first class position in M.A. in Islamic History and Culture with Epigraphy and Numismatics as special subjects. He held important positions in India throughout his career. After being a Lecturer and Principal of Colleges for the first eight years of his service career, he served as Asstt. Curator, Archaeological Survey, Deputy Keeper and Keeper of Art Deptt. at the National Museum, New Delhi, Superintending Archaeologist in charge of the Museums Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India, and finally as Director, Indian Museum, Calcutta. On retirement, served the National University in the Republic of China as Visiting Professor.