The book begins with the sunyata of Bamiyan, discusses its international nexus, the tragic history of its destruction where Hazara tribals once lit an occasional lamp to the glory of their ancestors, its influence on the Buddhist sculptural tradition, the failure of all efforts to prevent iconoclasm, or the positive comment of an Afghan: 'interest in Afghanistan's past gives hope for Afghanistan's future'. The arise of a colossal Maitreya at Bodhgaya, and the 231 feet Maitreya at Leshan are the offshoots of Bamiyan. The symbolism of the Cosmic Buddhas of Bamiyan gives a glimpse of their scintillating philosophical universe.
A hundred-page long monograph on Hariti by N. Poeri has been translated into English form French. It is a detailed study from Chinese canonical and other texts.
The Scripta minora of Prof. Nirmala Sharma include a rare Mongolian miniature of Ganesha and Indra as the Twin Orders of the State, the only known Tibetan manuscript on Mudras in Copenhagen, the depiction of nine rasas on the hidden base of Borobudur, the Surocolo bronzes and the Genzu version of the Vajradhatu-mandala. They represent the art of the sprawling Buddhist Cosmopolis.
Prof. Nirmala Sharma discusses the sculptures of the Siva family, the Saptamatrka, Sakti in the Queen’s Stepwell at Patan, Lord Krsna, costumes and textile patterns in the Ragamala paintings, dance and music in Jain paintings: all in the region of Gujarat.
Folk theme of Dhola-Maru’s love, folk arts and crafts of Kurch, coming up to the modern art of Raja Ravi Varma and finally the unique art perceptions of the Roerichs enrich the volume. |
