Indian Symbolism (English and Sanskrit Edition)

Language: English
Pages: 144 (with 320 line drawings)

About the Book:
Symbols have great significance for understanding early Indian religion, beliefs, art and culture. Of these symbols, some were widely current and continued to be in use for several centuries and are found delineated in sculpture, architecture, pottery, coins, paintings, etc. Rai Govind Chandra in his Indian Symbolism: Symbols as Sources of Our Customs and Beliefs has taken up for study twelve symbols, the Purna Kumbha or Purna Ghata, Svastika, Srivatsa, Nandipada, Cakra, Vardhamanaka, Matsya or Matsya-yugma, Bhadrasana, Caturbhuja Cinha, Triratna, Vaijaynti, and the Kalpataru and the Kalpalata. Each of these symbols is important particularly from the point of view of art and iconography. Rai Govind Chandra has discussed in great detail about the origin, meaning and diffusion of all these symbols. Having traced their occurrence in different periods and cultures as well as in different mediums, both in India and outside, the author has been able to demonstrate their primitive and naturalistic beginnings.
Rai Govind Chandra's Indian Symbolism is an extremely important contribution and is an indispensable work for scholars and researchers of Indian art, culture and religion.
About the Author:
Dr. Rai Govind Chandra (born 1906, at Varanasi City) was educated at Harishchandra High School and then at the Banaras Hindu University from where he obtained his M.A. Degree in 1932. In 1955 he obtained his Doctorate from the University of Paris. His other works include the following: The Structure of Comedy; Sri Mukul Dey's Art; Avanindra Nath Tagore; The Development of Ornaments and Jewellery in Proto-Historic India; Vaidika Kala ke Bharatiya Abhusana (Ornaments and Jewelry in Vedic Age); Pracina Bharata men Laksmi ki Pratima (Iconography of Laksmi); Hanumana (Development of the Iconography and the God-head of Hanumana); Terracottas of the Indus

Reprint of a classic study of symbols in Hinduism, art traditions. illustrated