The Festival of Indra details the textual and performative history of an important South Asian festival and its role in the development of classical Hinduism. Drawing on various genres of Sanskrit textual sources—especially the epic Mahābhārata—the book highlights the innovative ways that this annual public festival has supported the stable royal power responsible for the sponsorship of these texts. More than just a textual project, however, the book devotes significant ethnographic attention to the only contemporary performance of this festival that adheres to the classical Sanskrit record: the Indrajatra of Kathmandu, Nepal. Here, Indra's tall pole remains the festival's focal point, though its addition of the royal blessing by Kumari, the "living goddess" of Nepal, and the regular presence of the fierce god Bhairav show several significant ways that ritual agents have re-constructed this festival over the past two thousand years.

New Theatre Quarterly provides a lively international forum where theatrical scholarship and practice can meet, and where prevailing dramatic assumptions can be subjected to vigorous critical questioning. Articles in volume 74 include: Joan Littlewood's Key to Creativity: 'Go on Stage to Fail'; Grandfathers and Orphans: the Family Saga of European Theatre; Decoding Myths in the Nepalese Festival of Indra Jatra; Theatre in Education in Britain: Current Practice and Future Potential; From Object to Subject: the Israeli Theatre of the Battered Women; 'The Spirits Wouldn't Let Me Be Anything Else': Shamanic Dimensions in Theatre Practice Today; The Contaminated Audience: Researching Amateur Theatre in Wales before 1939.

This Is The First Volume Of The Six-Volume History Of Indian Theatre. Written By An Eminent Scholar M.L, Varadpande This Veritable Encyclopedia Speaks About An Early Phase Of India S Theatre History, Which Also Is The History Of India S Fine Arts. For The First Time The Origin And Evolution Of Theatrical Arts In India Is Traced In An Elaborate Manner Providing An Insight Into One Of The Oldest Theatrical Traditions Of The World. The Book Draws From The Sources Including Mesolithic Cave Paintings, Ancient Archaeological Finds And Mass Of Literature Belonging To The Vedic And Buddhist Era To Give You The Complete Picture Of India S Theatre History.In A Lucid Style It Tells About Ritualistic Dances And Hunt Dramas Of Aboriginals; Statuettes Of Dancers, Jesters And String Manipulated Puppet Toys Belonging To Earliest Known Urban Civilization Of India The Indus Civilization; Dramatic Rituals Full Of Dancing, Singing And Music; The Dancing Gods And Compositions In Dialogue Form Of Early Aryans; The Troupes Of Actors Moving In The Country Enacting Humorous Plays And Erotic Dances; Efforts Of The State Administration To Impose Entertainment Tax And Strict Code Of Censors And The Flourishing Theatre Of The People. The Book Also Tells About The Advent Of Greeks In India And Their Theatrical Activities, Staging Of A Play Agen In The Military Camp Of Alexander The Great And The Play Written In Greek And Indian Languages Found In Egypt. It Discusses The Problem Of Greek Influence On Indian Theatre In Detail And Speaks About Indian View Of Theatre.This Well-Documented And Profusely Illustrated Work Presents An Enchanting Panorama Of India S Early Theatre History In A Manner At Once Scholarly And Interesting. Known For His Erudition And Profound Scholarship, M.L. Varadpande (B; 1936) Is An Eminent Theatre Historian Of India. His Major Works Published By Abhinav Publications Are Traditions Of Indian Theatre, Ancient Indian And Indo-Greek Theatre, Religion And Theatre And Krishna Theatre In India. His Other Well-Known Works On Indian Theatre Are Invitation To An Indian Theatre And The Critique Of Indian Theatre (Ed.). The Sahita Akademi, India S National Academy Of Letters, Has Published His Book Shripad Krishna Kolhatkar In Marathi (Out Of Print), Hindi (Second Edition) And Punjabi. It Is Now Being Translated Into English. His Forthcoming Works Are The Mahabharata In Performance And Ankia Nat: Vaishnava Opera Of Assam. As A Research Fellow Of The Indian Council Of Historical Research He Is Working On The Research Project Temple Theatre In India.

First Published in 1971, The Festivals of Nepal describes the most important festivals from the country, which have been arranged according to the ancient Nepalese calendar, beginning with the New Year in mid-April. The author provides, moreover, a brief introductory sketch of Nepalese geography, history, and religion, to give background to what follows. When Mary Anderson began her five year residence in Kathmandu as the wife of a diplomat, she attended the frequent Nepalese festivals up and down the Valley because they were mysterious, colourful and great fun. But soon she became more deeply absorbed in the meaning of these ancient activities as she grew quickly aware that to the Nepalese themselves the ancient processions and rituals were of great importance. Somewhere, almost every day, there seems to be in Nepal a festival of some kind, but now that this hitherto secret land has been opened up to tourists and foreign influences, much of this historic pageantry may well be lost. The modernization of Nepalese society is certain to have its effects, but when these artless celebrations become the goal of spectators from outside, they will also lose its spontaneity. Mary Anderson was determined to record as many of them as she could, explaining their mythological, religious and historical backgrounds and relating some of the wealth of legends and folk tales that surround them. This is an interesting read for students of sociology of culture, South Asian studies, South Asian religion and culture and Hindu religion.

Indra, son of Aditi, king of Devas, is the Lord of the east, of Heaven and space. He’s an enemy of the rakshasas. He’s the first one to receive nectar from Garuda after which he protected the Prithvi mountain ranges, created space and placed Dyuloka in its position. But he has one weakness- he cannot stand anyone surpassing his power or position. Amaravathi is his capital and Indrani is his consort. His proud possessions include Ucchaishravas, Iravatha, Kamadhenu, and Kalpavriksha. It was because of his pride that he once angered sage Brihaspathi and lost his kingdom. On killing Vritrasura, he found that he had committed the sin of killing a Brahmin and hence hid himself in the Manas lake. King Nahusha took Indra’s position and became very proud and arrogant. Later Indra performed Aswamedhayajna and regained his lost kingdom. It is because of his own folly that a bird-hero who was stronger than himself, Garuda, was born. Even his Vajrayudha couldn’t hurt Garuda. Later, they both became friends. Indra put emperor Shibi to test and obtained Karna’s kavacha and kundala in order to weaken him and protect his own son, Arjuna. He sent his chariot for Rama to face Raavana in the mighty battle. However, he invited sage Durvasa’s curse due to his pride. Indra came down to earth and conferred on Lord SriKrishna the title Upendra. Our other books here can be searched using #BharathaSamskruthiPrakashana

Contributed seminar papers.

"This book examines how public ritual once placed kings at the privileged apex of Nepal's government, and how in the 21st century those same rituals stopped serving the king and turned instead to authorize party-based politicians. Ritual upheaval undermined the institutional logic of monarchy, and demonstrated that kingship was contingent/dispensable"--

Religious rituals are often seen as unchanging and ahistorical bearers of long-standing traditions. But as this book demonstrates, ritual is a lively platform for social change and innovation in the religions of South Asia. Drawing from Hindu and Jain examples in India, Nepal, and North America, the essays in this volume, written by renowned scholars of religion, explore how the intentional, conscious, and public invention or alteration of ritual can effect dramatic social transformation, whether in dethroning a Nepali king or sanctioning same-sex marriage. Ritual Innovation shows how the very idea of ritual as a conservative force misreads the history of religion by overlooking ritual's inherent creative potential and its adaptability to new contexts and circumstances.

An invaluable encyclopedia of Hinduism Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest religions; an amalgam of diverse beliefs and schools, it originates in the Vedas and is rooted in Indian culture. Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide illuminates complex philosophical concepts through lucid definitions, a historical perspective and incisive analyses. It examines various aspects of Hinduism, covering festivals and rituals, gods and goddesses, philosophers, memorials, aesthetics, and sacred plants and animals. The author also explores pivotal ideas, including moksha, karma, dharma and samsara, and details the diverse commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita and other important texts. Citing extensively from the regional languages, the book describes Hinduism’s innumerable myths and legends, and looks at the many versions of texts including the Ramayana and Mahabharata, placing each entry in its historical context and tracing its evolution to the present. • Outlines all eighteen major Puranas, the 108 Upanishads, and a selection of Vaishnava, Sahiva and Tantric texts • Provides quotations from rare original texts • A product of years of research, with a wide range of entries

This voluminous work, a store house of information about the Epics, Puranas and allied literature, was originally composed and published in Malayalam. It constituted the results of the author's devoted study and research extending over fourteen years. This English version of the same is to meet the growing demand of scholars interested in the study of Puranas. This stupendous work, in the form of an exhaustive descriptive index, covers the vast and varied field of ancient Indian culture in all aspects-history geography, religion, philosophy, myths, beliefs and practices as depicted in the Epics and Puranas. The work is planned on scientific lines. The material compiled is arranged systematically. Citations have been inserted in support of stated facts; at places they have been substituted by reference. Obsolete and obscure words, denoting objects such as a particular tree or plant have been explained by their scientific or vernacular equivalents. All modern critical apparatus has been utilized in the preparation of this comprehensive work.