Hindu Religious Art and Architecture

Contents: Preface. 1. Approach. 2. Topography history of Nadia. 3. Temples and monuments. 4. Art and architecture. 5. The terra cottas stuccos and wooden sculptures. 6. Materials and makes of the temples. 7. Classification and antiquity of the temples. 8. Traditional elements in the temples. 9. Muhammedan and European impact on the temple art. 10. Gods and Goddesses. 11. Socio-economic and cultural aspects. Appendix. Select bibliography. Index.
 
Nadia or Nabadwip with its headquarters at Krishnanagar was the birth place of Lord Chaitanya 1486-1527 the great religious reformer and a celebrated seat of Sanskrit learning. Being a great place of pilgrimage it is known as the Benaras of Bengal. The religions movement which is known as Vaishnavism and which Lord Chitanya initiated in mediaeval Bengal gave birth to a renaissance not only in religion but also in literature art and architecture. While we know a lot about literature that Vaishnavism inspired we know precious little about its impact on art and architecture. In this book Dr. Ghosh has given a full length study of the letter which can be felt today especially in Nadia.

The book containing eleven chapters a select bibliography and illustrated. it is based on the authors on the spot investigation from 1972 to 1976 of almost all the Hindu religions edifices that are in Situ in Nadia Distirict.

Dr. Ghosh has studied these temples from historical religious social economic and cultural points of views. There is no other book which provides such a thorough study of the Nadia temples as the present book. The book not only points out the importance of Nadia temples in the evolution of Hindu architecture but also tells us why in the sphere of Ideological study Nadia temples must deserve our attention.

A book of great erudition Hindu Religions Art and Architecture in Nadia is not merely a book on the history of art and architecture it is also a comprehensive study of the cultural history of mediaeval India. (jacket)