THE HIMALAYAS IN INDIAN ART

The Himalayas offer great opportunities for artistic research- they have always been the pivot of Indian religious art. The Indian order of architecture, the design of Indian temples, and the symbolism of the principal figures in Indian iconography are all focused on the Himalayas. The Indians don’t admire and worship Himalayas only because they are beautiful, majestic and wonderful, but chiefly because within their inner fastness they guard the worshipful source of life, the fount of purity which makes India fertile, prosperous and holy land. The mystery and grandeur of the Himalayas made upon the Indian mind find its reflection in Indian religious art. The present volume thus offers a new approach to the study of Indian art, by way of the Himalayas-certainly the most direct path for arriving at the central idea of the Indian artist and craftsman. The book presents concisely the leading ideas of the Indian temple builder, sculptor and painter, and connects the artistic traditions of India with Indian daily life and work.