Khajuraho

[nas_ng at lms420.jsc.nasa.gov]

3/5/96

   

   Re: Khajuraho
  **************

All of these are quoted from memory. I don't have the books with me.

1) There is a good article on Khajuraho builders
in B. S. Miller, The powers of art: patronage in Indian 
culture, 1992 Oxford UP.

In the notes, there is a translation of a beautiful inscription
wherein Goddess Uma makes fun of Lord Siva for wearing no clothes, ...
There is slesa in that poem & fits well with that temple motifs.
Will anyone care to write what is given in that article & also
possibly the original sloka. (not given in that work.)


2) Lot of nice pictures of animal sculpture are given in
Stella Snead, Animals in four worlds, University of Chicago press, 1989.
Wendy Doniger's foreword tells her thoughts on why animals
& forests are depicted mainly in outer prakaras. As one moves
towards garbagraha to confront divinity, we see less & less of those
scenes. 

Hinduism is far larger than hindutva views.

N. Ganesan
nas_ng at lms461.jsc.nasa.gov