This volume of Marg is dedicated to the architectural and artistic heritage of Rayalaseema, the Royal Realm, a name given to the region encompassing Kurnool, Anantapur, Cuddapah and Chittoor districts in present-day Andhra Pradesh. This legacy may be traced back more than 2,000 years, as evidenced by the ancient, enigmatic stone figural lingam at Gudimallam. During the 14th–17th centuries Rayalaseema enjoyed unprecedented political and economic importance. Under Vijayanagara patronage the prestigious pilgrimage shrines at Srisailam, Ahobilam, Tirumala, Tirupati and Srikalahasti were much expanded, and new temples were built at Tadpatri, Somapalem and Lepakshi, embellished with magnificent sculptures and ceiling paintings. Imposing fortresses and palaces at Gandikota, Penukonda and Chandragiri also belong to this era. In more recent times Rayalaseema has witnessed the efflorescence of local schools of painting on wood, paper and cloth at Tirupati and Srikalahasti.
These little-known and rarely published sites and artistic traditions are represented in this volume authored by three leading art historians, with specially commissioned photographs by Surendra Kumar.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anila Verghese
Anila Verghese is Lecturer and Head of the Department of History at Sophia College, Bombay University. She has been working at Hampi since 1985 and has published extensively, both monographs and research papers, on this site. Her major works are Religious Traditions at Vijayanagara: As Revealed Through its Monuments; Archaeology, Art and Relition: New Perspectives on Vijayanagara and has co-authored, with Anna Dallapiccola, Sculptures at Vijayanagara: Iconography and Style.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anna L Dallapiccola
Dr. Anna L. Dallapiccola is Professor of Art History at the South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, Germany. She has published extensively in the field of Indian Miniature painting. In recent years she has studied Sculptures and mural paintings in Temples of the Vijayanagara and Nayaka periods.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR George Michell
George Michell obtained his PhD in the field of early western Chalukya temple architecture from the School of Oriental African Studies, University of London, in 1974. From 1974 to 1977, he directed courses on Asian architecture at the Architectural Association, London, and was the co-editor of Art and Archaeology Research Papers from 1972 to 1982. Since the 1980s, he has co-directed an international team of scholars and students at Vijayanagara, the medieval Hindu site in Karnataka. George Michell has also lectured at universities and museums throughout the USA, Europe, India and Australia. Among his many Publications are The Royal Palaces of India, Islamic Heritage of the Deccan, Architecture of the Islamic World: Its History and Social Meaning and Hindu Art and Architecture.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Surendra Kumar
Footloose for the last three decades in different parts of the world, have used Indian films as a potent tool of cultural diplomacy and organized retrospectives in 10 countries, most recently, three of them at the Gene Siskel Film Center Chicago: retrospective on Raj Kapoor, retrospective on Guru Dutt and a retrospective of contemporary Classics of Indian Cinema. In recent years Surendra Kumar has served as a Minister (Press, Information and Culture) at the High Commission of India in London and Ambassador of India in Mozambique and Libya. He also served as the Consul General of India in Chicago from February 2003. Presently, he is serving as the High Commissioner of India to Kenya in Nairobi.
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