The Indian Temple Traceries

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The present monograph is unique in that it, for the first time, extensively treats the subject of Indian temple jalas or grilles together with an in depth discussion in the light of relevant medieval vastrusastra passages in Sanskrit on Indian architecture. Besides identification, classification, and description of the different grille types as well as their forms, features, and their relationship with the environment as well as their functional engagement with the building of which each example is an integral part. It likewise traces the origins – or at least the earliest incidences – together with the development, wherever discernible, of the Indian grilles. While maintaining the thrust of writing towards the ancient and medieval Indian grilles, it brings within its purview the Islamic screens and the Gothic traceries for comparing and contrasting their characteristics with the earlier Indian. In the process, it also dwells on the factors of concept, form, function and, above all, aesthetics. The visual appearance of the jalas developed in each of these three architectural systems considerably varies due to environmental, creedal, cultural, and hence stylistic differences. The text of the monograph is elucidated by carefully drawn 55 lie drawings and 348 photo illustrations. Being scholarly and, as a result of academic disposition, it will not have the privilege of the company and prestige of coffee table books. It likewise cannot be a companion book for the iconographers who in India dominate the field of ancient art and pass as art historians, nor is it useful to the modernists and lovers exclusively of contemporary arts and literature. What is more, in orientation, treatment of theme, and the tenor of discussion, it adheres to the methodology of art history proper and, by the same token, not that of neo-art interpretatory, a different and new discipline which their protagonists, the Newtrendians in the West and because of them the Newtrendianoids in India, claim and proclaim as ‘New art history,’ just as they look down at the other/original one by qualifying it as conventional, traditional, old-fashioned, and outmoded. They are largely unconcerned about history and chronology, socio-religious and cultural background, and ignore style, inherent concepts, philosophy, metaphysics, and aesthetics.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR M A Dhaky

Professor M.A. Dhaky, currently Director (Emeritus) at the American Institute of Indian Studies’ Centre for Art and Archaeology, Gurgaon (Haryana), is a historian and researcher of ancient and medieval Indian art and architecture and Sanskrit texts that relate to the architecture of the ancient buildings. Prof. Dhaky had served on deputation at the AIIS’ Varanasi Center from August 1966, first from the Department of Archaeology, Government of Gujarat, and from 1974 from the L.D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad, where he was till 1987 posted as the Research Professor of Indian Art and Architecture. Among his publications are the short and long monographs, chapters to the Encyclopaedia of Indian Temple Architecture and research papers in English, Gujarati, and in Hindi, on the history and literature including agamas and hymnology of the Nirgranthadarsana, as also articles involving criticism and interpretation of art and architecture, musicology and horticulture, all together numbering 290. He is recipient of many a awards and honours: the ‘Kumara’ silver medal (Ahmedabad 1974), an award of the Prakrta Jananabharati, Bangalore (1993), the Campbell Memorial Gold Medal of the Asiatic Society of Bombay (1994), the Hemacandracarya Award from Jaswanta Dharmarth Trust, Delhi (1997), and an award and gold medal from “Kalikalasarvjna Sri Hemacandracarya Navam Janma-Satabdi Smriti Samskara Siksana Nidhi” Trust, Ahmedabad (1999).

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Bibliographic information

Title
The Indian Temple Traceries
Author
Edition
1st ed.
Publisher
ISBN
8124602239
Length
xx+490p., Figures; Plates; Glossary; Bibliography; 29cm.
Subjects