Akriti to Sanskriti: The Journey of Indian Forms

By Harsha V. Dehejia

A tradition where the oral and the subjective are as important as the visible and the occurent, a culture which is often a visual treat and a spiritual stimulant, Indian civilization has layers of images where the highest train of thoughts from erudite verses mingle with simple home truths lying embedded in a long heritage of kathas (stories), gathas (songs), akritis (visual forms and motifs) and rachanas (compositions). Akriti to Sanskriti: The Journey of Indian Forms explores some akritis that adorn majestic monuments as well as ordinary spaces in India. Created by ordinary people and traditional artisans, these beautiful forms transcend individual and ritualistic boundaries to express a shared experience of visual knowledge and culture as well as brahma jnana or transcendental knowledge across generations. Contents: Akriti to Sanskriti Adorning the Earth The Aesthetics of Boundaries Messengers of the Sky From the Earth to the Sky The Plenitude of Life In the Image of Man: Purusha to Manushya Kalasha: The Womb of the Universe The Aesthetics of Space From Surabhi to Airavat Images of Totality Farewell

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 8189738534
• ISBN13: 9788189738532
• Release Date: July 2012
• Publisher: Niyogi Books
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 2.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 8.7" x 11.2"