RITUAL ART OF INDIA shows the splendor and diversity of an art form that has enriched every stage of human life in India--and reveals the inward-seeking quality of relationship with the divine that exemplifies Indian ritual art. A stunning guide with over 100 color photos and 34 b&w photos.

On ritual arts of rural India.

A leading scholar in the United States on Chinese archaeology challenges long-standing conceptions of the rise of political authority in ancient China. Questioning Marx's concept of an "Asiatic" mode of production, Wittfogel's "hydraulic hypothesis," and cultural-materialist theories on the importance of technology, K. C. Chang builds an impressive counterargument, one which ranges widely from recent archaeological discoveries to studies of mythology, ancient Chinese poetry, and the iconography of Shang food vessels.

Every day millions of Tamil women in southeast India wake up before dawn to create a kolam, an ephemeral ritual design made with rice flour, on the thresholds of homes, businesses and temples. This thousand-year-old ritual welcomes and honors Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and alertness, and Bhudevi, the goddess of the earth. Created by hand with great skill, artistry, and mathematical precision, the kolam disappears in a few hours, borne away by passing footsteps and hungry insects. This is the first comprehensive study of the kolam in the English language. It examines its significance in historical, mathematical, ecological, anthropological, and literary contexts. The culmination of Vijaya Nagarajan's many years of research and writing on this exacting ritual practice, Feeding a Thousand Souls celebrates the experiences, thoughts, and voices of the Tamil women who keep this tradition alive.

In recent years, the Dallas Museum of Art has expanded its collection of South Asian art from a small number of Indian temple sculptures to nearly 500 works, including Indian Hindu and Buddhist sculptures, Himalayan Buddhist bronze sculptures and ritual objects, artwork from Southeast Asia, and decorative arts from India's Mughal period. Artworks in the collection have origins from the former Ottoman empire to Java, and architectural pieces suggest the grandeur of buildings in the Indian tradition. This volume details the cultural and artistic significance of more than 140 featured works, which range from Tibetan thangkas and Indian miniature paintings to stone sculptures and bronzes. Relating these works to one another through interconnecting narratives and cross-references, scholars and curators provide a broad cultural history of the region. Distributed for the Dallas Museum of Art

Introduction to Art: Design, Context, and Meaning offers a deep insight and comprehension of the world of Art. Contents: What is Art? The Structure of Art Significance of Materials Used in Art Describing Art - Formal Analysis, Types, and Styles of Art Meaning in Art - Socio-Cultural Contexts, Symbolism, and Iconography Connecting Art to Our Lives Form in Architecture Art and Identity Art and Power Art and Ritual Life - Symbolism of Space and Ritual Objects, Mortality, and Immortality Art and Ethics

Books That Have Appeared So Far On The Art Of India Confine Themselves To Architecture, Sculpture And Painting. In The Present Work, The Coverage Has Been Extended For The First Time To Include Music, Dance And Handicrafts Too.The Weighty Reason For This Is That In Traditional India, Art Reflected And Further Strengthened An Integrated Living. Temple Architecture Generally Provided Halls For The Performance Of Music And Dance, For These Too Were Ways Of Worship. Some Of The Finest Indian Sculptures Have Dances As Their Themes. Siva, Deity And Dancer, Has Been Represented In Dance Postures And Gestures In Reliefs Which Are Veritable Manuals Of Dance Illustrated Through Sculpture. Music Parties And Dances Have Figured Repeatedly In Painting. As For Crafts, It Is Not Elitist Art That Makes Gracious The Daily Living Of The Masses But The Art Of The Artisan Who Streamlines Humble Articles Of Daily Use Into Timelessly Enduring Beauty.The Textual Outlines Conserve The Essential Contours Of The Historical Evolution Of These Arts And Familiarize The Reader With The Masterpieces Of The Heritage Which Have Been Illustrated To The Maximum Extent Possible.