Nataraja, the dancing Siva sculpture, is perhaps the most well-known among all Hindu sculptures, and rightly so. It has evoked highly advanced discussions among scientists, philosophers, performing artists, art critics, art collectors, historians, archaeologists and mythologists. The Nataraja sculpture also occupies a pride of a place at CERN, the European Centre for Research in Particle Physics in Geneva. Siva, according to Hindu Mythology, was the very first dancer in the world. All dramaturgy and dance traditions emerge from Siva’s cosmic dance. Tandu, Siva’s disciple narrated the description of Siva’s dance to Bharata Muni and he is believed to have compiled the Natyasastra, the world’s first treatise on dramaturgy, dance and other performing arts. Scholars believe that the Natyasastra was written over a long period of time between the 2nd century BCE and 2nd century CE with contributions from various sages, with its foundation having been laid by Bharata Muni. Convergence between Hindu mythology, Natyasastra and Silpasastra was the natural outcome. Karnataka, and its temple architecture tradition, played a pioneering role in giving an artistic form to this convergence in its temple sculptures. Though this trend may have started earlier during 2nd and 3rd century CE, it started to take the center stage from the times of the Badami Chalukyas. Passing through various refinements between 5th and 10th centuries, it reached its peak with the Hoysala art. This book traces the history of temple sculpture evolution and development through the centuries by referring to the existing sculptural forms and the canonical literature that developed over time.

Nataraja, the dancing Siva sculpture, is perhaps the most well-known among all Hindu sculptures, and rightly so. It has evoked highly advanced discussions among scientists, philosophers, performing artists, art critics, art collectors, historians, archaeologists and mythologists. The Nataraja sculpture also occupies a pride of a place at CERN, the European Centre for Research in Particle Physics in Geneva. Siva, according to Hindu Mythology, was the very first dancer in the world. All dramaturgy and dance traditions emerge from Siva's cosmic dance. Tandu, Siva's disciple narrated the description of Siva's dance to Bharata Muni and he is believed to have compiled the Natyasastra, the world's first treatise on dramaturgy, dance and other performing arts. Scholars believe that the Natyasastra was written over a long period of time between the 2nd century BCE and 2nd century CE with contributions from various sages, with its foundation having been laid by Bharata Muni. Convergence between Hindu mythology, Natyasastra and Silpasastra was the natural outcome. Karnataka, and its temple architecture tradition, played a pioneering role in giving an artistic form to this convergence in its temple sculptures. Though this trend may have started earlier during 2nd and 3rd century CE, it started to take the center stage from the times of the Badami Chalukyas. Passing through various refinements between 5th and 10th centuries, it reached its peak with the Hoysala art. This book traces the history of temple sculpture evolution and development through the centuries by referring to the existing sculptural forms and the canonical literature that developed over time.

You may have a lot of questions about the art and architecture of Karnataka. There may be queries about the various heritage touring circuits. You might like to understand what went into designing, planning and constructing monuments over a thousand year ago. You may still wish to know how art and architecture progressed during the ancient and medieval times in Karnataka. This book attempts to answer a lot of these questions, for example: 1.What is the name of the first established Village in South India and where is it located? 2.Where did the earliest gold miners live in Karnataka? 3.Which was the first Agrahara established in Karnataka? 4.Which is the first existing temple dedicated to Siva in Karnataka? 5.Which is the first existing temple dedicated to Krishna in Karnataka? 6.What roles did temples have other than being the places of worship? 7.Which is the first temple dedicated to Rama in Karnataka? 8.What was Karnataka referred to as in the Puranic times? 9.Which is the first existing temple dedicated to Shakti in Karnataka? 10.How old is the Kannada language?

The social life of the queens of Hoysala period are presented in the beautiful Shilabalika sculptures of Belur temple. This highly illustrative book recreates the world of Hoysala queens by shedding light on how the queens got groomed in various fields of arts and sports. A comparative study of Manasollasa and the Shilabalika panels prove that a study of the literary source Manasollasa is essential to understand the activities depicted in the immortal beauties of Belur temple.

In 1913, photos of The Nataraja bronze from the Chennai Museum inspired Auguste Rodin's text The Dance of Shiva. Written at the end of his life, this vision of Shiva, Lord of actor/dancers, revealed the underlying links between Rodin's dance sculptures (1910), the Cambodian dancer drawings, and his private collection of antique Venus and Buddha sculptures and wood carvings from India. In this book, historians, artists and poets both French and Indian, bring us a new international vision of Rodin's work.