Encyclopaedia of Indian Dances

by Nirupama Chaturvedi

Dancing Divinities in Indian Art is an admirable attempt by a young dancer-scholar to enter those alleys of the study of art history where very few have so far trodden. The book reveals the eternal, the never dying element of our civilization through one of the most powerful forms of human expression and rhythm-the dance. The study is an analysis of the presentation of sculptures as fulfilling the dictates of postures defined in the various dance treatises. It also embodies an interlinking of textual, literary and archaeological sources to prove convincingly the unity of `inner` and `outer` in the Indian tradition. By concentrating on the divinities, the study leads to links between the artistic and spiritual pursuits. The book presents a fresh outlook and some revealing conclusions which should open new vistas for further studies.