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.

The Kesava temple at Somanathapur, located 36 KM from Mysore in Karnataka is a good example of the Hoysala architecture. This grand celebrated temple enriched with intricate sculptures and architecture is erected on a raised terrace of star shape. The sculptures on the wall appear to have been executed on wood and not on stone with extreme perfection and dedication. Not just the sculptures this complicated structure proves their architectural dexterity and talent. This main temple is surrounded by pillared cloister with sub-shrines. This grand temple enjoys similar and at par importance as the Kesava temple at Belur and the Hoysalesvara temple at Halebid

In Southern Karnataka, 4 Small Villages Are World-Famous For Tourism: Belur, Halebid, Somanathapur And Shravan Belgola. The First Three Of Them Show Hoysala Temples, Richly Carved Hindu Temples Dating From The 12Th And 13Th Centuries. This Tourist Book Is The First That Aims To Present The Complete Group Of Hoysala Temples To A Large Audience. Not Only The Three Famous Temples Are Discussed And Illustrated, But Also More Than 10 Others That Are Extremely Worth Visiting For Tourists And That Were, Until Now, Only Known To Archaeologists.

History is often considered a dry, boring and unimportant subject at school. Masala History by Siva aims to change this perception and make it engaging and interesting for everyone. In addition, there is also a deliberate attempt to sing the tune of unsung heroes and bring to light the amazing lives and works of those who have been forgotten and not given their rightful place in history. With kid-friendly content, the project presents a collection of stories to capture the attention of schoolchildren and adults alike and hopes to help initiate curiosity and conversations around this subject. Each vignette in this book will take you back in time, delving deep into untold stories and firing up your imagination.. So pick your copy, grab a masala chai or your favourite coffee and delve into tales rich and spicy! Savour it, talk about it with friends & family. Spread the histories of where we come from. After all, if you don’t know where you come from, you don’t know where you are going.

This volume examines the multifarious dimensions that constitute the workings of the Hindu temple as an architectural and urban built form. Eleven chapters reflect on Hindu temples from multiple standpoints - tracing their elusive evolution from wayside shrines as well as canonization into classical objects; questioning the role of treatises containing their building rules; analyzing their prescribed proportions and orders; examining their presence in, and as, larger sacred habitats and ritua...

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.