In this work, Prof Donaldson presents a rich and variegated picture of the sakta/tantra art of Orissa, highlighting the evolving iconography of individual images. Based on largely first-hand study of the temples and their iconography and also referring to various textual sources, he deals with, in detail, the sakta mythology of the region along with its depiction in iconography. He focuses on different forms and depictions of the Goddess. The work abounds in photographs (more than seven hundred) revealing the variety of forms of the Goddess and their wide-spread distribution and provides many maps, diagrams and iconographical charts as well. A thorough research giving attention to minute details even while studying a wide range of iconographical traditions and forms, this work will prove an indispensable source book for young as well as established scholars. About the Author:
PROF. THOMAS DONALDSON is a leading authority on Indian art, particularly Orissan art, as he has been studying and writing on the subject for more than three decades.
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