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The book presents the understanding of different Indian philosophers on some of the basic problems of religion. Considering diverse schools and systems of Indian philosophy, it examines the significance of the arguments presented by the philosophers for grasping the relevance of religious theories and concepts. In the process, it reformulates some of them to make them less technical.
This is work in a significant area of Indian philosophy on which very little work has been done. Most of the Indian philosophers, to whatever school or tradition they belong, have shown concern for understanding the basic claims of religion and for most of them the problems of religion are those that are generated by shruti tradition of Hinduism. Instead of taking any philosophical position in approaching and understanding the problems of religion, this work tries to be comprehensive, and seeks to present and discuss the understanding of different Indian philosophers of some of the basic problems of religion. The arguments presented in this work are taken from different schools or systems of Indian philosophy, and in certain cases they are reformulated to make them less technical. This book will be of immense use to both the students and researches in Indian philosophy of religion and also to general readers.
This book extensively treats the subject of Indian temple jalas or grilles with an in-depth discussion basd on Vastusastra, for the first time with the aid of line drawings and illustrations. It brings within its purview Islamic screen and Gothic traceries also, for comparing and contrasting.
The present monograph is unique in that it, for the first time, extensively treats the subject of Indian temple jalas or grilles together with an in depth discussion in the light of relevant medieval vastusastra passages in Sanskrit on Indian architecture. Besides identification, classifica-tion, and description of the different grille types as well as their forms, features, and ornamentation, it investigates their purpose and their relationship with the environment as well as their functional engagement with the building of which each example is an integral part. It likewise traces the origins or at least the earliest incidences together with the development, wherever discernible, of the Indian grilles. While maintaining the thrust of writing towards the ancient and medieval Indian grilles, it brings within its purview the Islamic screens and the Gothic traceries for comparing and contrasting their characteristics with the earlier Indian. In the process, it also dwells on the factors of concept, form, function and, above all, aesthetics. The visual appearance of the jalas developed in each of these three architectural systems considerably varies due to environmental, creedal, cultural, and hence stylistic differences. The text of the monograph is elucidated by carefully drawn 55 line drawings and 348 photo illustrations. Being scholarly and, as a result, of academic disposition, it will not have the privilege of the company and prestige of coffee table books. It likewise cannot be a companion book for the icono-graphers who in India dominate the field of ancient art and pass as art historians, nor is it useful to the modernists and lovers exclusively of contemporary arts and literature. What is more, in orientation, treatment of theme, and the tenor of discussion, it adheres to the methodology of art history proper and, by the same token, not that of neo-art interpretatory, a different and new discipline which their protagonists, the Newtrendians in the West and because of them the Newtrendianoids in India, claim and proclaim as New art history, just as they look down at the other/original one by qualifying it as conventional, traditional, old-fashioned, and outmoded. They are largely unconcerned about history and chronology, socio-religious and cultural background, and ignore style, inherent concepts, philosophy, metaphysics, and aesthetics.
It is a socio-cultural study of the contemporary Indian society in the context of the invasion of the culture of technology. Analysing the reactions of Gandhi, Aurobindo, etc., it offers a futuristic assessment of the problem.
The book is a brilliant socio-cultural study of the contemporary Indian society in the context of the invasion of the culture of technology. The recent spate of technological advancements involves much more than the mere use of lifeless mechines. It is an inculcation of a constellation of values and ideas a new culture. In a tradition-bound society like India the culture of technology is looked at with panic and suspicion. The phenomenon of dehumanisation and the erosion of human values associated with this culture seems to confuse the Indian mind. Yet, India has not been able to withhold the march of this culture. Dr. Johnson makes a penetrating analysis of the Indian predicament with reference to the reactions of Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo and Jayaprakash Narayan; and offers a futuristic assessment of the problem. He argues that the solution lies not in dismissing the culture of technology but in incorporating it within the fabric of tradition, so that India can keep pace with the time. He tackles the problem by delving deep into the intracies of the matter of tradition and technology; and spells out the changes required in our traditional way of looking at things. The book is very contemporary in its approach and reflects a rare kind of optimism about Indias potentialities in facing the problem.
Modern science has created around a million words in European languages. As India gained independence it became imperative to create terms for administration, industry, humanistic and scientific disciplines. It was a continuation of a long tradition of linguistic creativity. This book is a collection of the writeups of Prof. RaghuVira who was the prime `maker of Indian words’. The source languages of European terminologies Greek and Latin shared the same grammatical basis of word-formation from roots with prefixes and suffixes like Sanskrit the historical source language of India. Language as a process of evolution, creation of Japanese and Chinese terminologies, the linguistic reform in Turkish, rejuvenation of Hebrew, the development of Hindi as the official language, principles of coining Indian terms, the art of translation, improvement in Indian terms due to scientific advances, and several facets of the linguistic revolution in newly liberated countries can be read in this book in the very words of Prof. RaghuVira the creator of India’s macrocosm of linguistic evolution. The book is a thrilling narrative of India’s logos, with parallels from other land
This volume is collection of eight lectures delivered by Dr Kapila Vatsyayan on different occasions, some in the memory of four eminent persons and another four on critical issues related to culture.
This volume is collection of eight lectures delivered by Dr Kapila Vatsyayan on different occasions, some in the memory of four eminent persons such as Ancharlott Eschmann, an art historian; Dr C.D. Deshmukh, founder of the India International Centre and former Chairman, University Grants Commission; Prof. Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya, eminent writer social worker andformer president of the Sahitya Akademi and Dr D.S. Kothari, the doyen of science and a dedicated Gandhian, and the remaining four on a few critical issues related to culture.
These lectures delve upon crucial terms and topics like shastra and prayoga, and marga and desi in the study of Indian arts, other social systems and the sociology of religion; interface of culture and development; role of arts in social transformation; a modern rishi, the eco-cultural cartography of South Asia; the oral and written systems of knowledge transmission; the different aspects of Indias cultural heritage and identity; and Hinduism as a religion of divine immanence, where concepts like purusharthas and varnashrama-dharma are all part and parcel of the all-encompassing Sanatana Dharma.
This book thus enables readers to enlarge and nurture Indias cultural heritage and its allied features. In a fast-changing world, one should know his cultural past and thereby prepare himself to absorb what is needed, without losing his identity and existence.
The thought-provoking articles contained in this volume present insights into the Hindu religious vision for nourishing mutual appreciation and respect among the various religious traditions. They also make up a presentation of Vedic and Upaniùadic ideas of understanding and ahi§sà to address some of the most urgent global problems of today.
The conference papers make up a presentation of Vedic and Upanishadic ideas of understanding and ahimsa to address some of the most urgent global problems in todays world. The scholarly articles elaborate on principles of ahimsa as practised by the Buddhist and Jain traditions and by the Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi. Scholars from India and other parts of Asia as well as the West here explore the scientific and systematic nature of life of the Vedic people. They examine aspects relating to linguistics, the Indian epic literature, and advaita, and study many individual topics like states of consciousness in Indian philosophy and concept of time in Indian heritage. They delve into the meaning and message of the Upaniùads as extremely relevant to us in the present century. A study examines festivals to determine the correlation between annual festivals and natural factors and conducts a scientific analysis that establishes a relation between lunar phases and human physiology, and more generally the relation between calendar and culture.
The thought-provoking papers present insights into the vision of Dharmic traditions for nourishing mutual appreciation and respect among religious traditions. They also reveal the abuses and distortions that the tradition has suffered from within over the ages. They call for a scientific analysis of human traditions so that their time-tested values can prove relevant to the present day.
The book deals with the critical issues and challenges of rural India and suggests ways and means to bring it into the nation building. With traditional wisdom, it mixes innovative solutions for better rural life. It can entice rural investors and be a good reference for students and teachers of economics and sociology.
This book, a collection of updated articles presented in an international conference on India’s Rural Transformation and Development: Issues, Processes and Direction’ organized by the Cordia Group of Institutes and Sanghol community on 17-18 November 2011, talks about the criticality of different issues and challenges that the rural India faces and suggests ways and means to bring it into the nation-building exercise.
No country steadfastly grows without tapping its rural potential. Over 750 million people live in the Indian villages and there is a desperate need for them to get empowered in education and skills, and with state-of-the-art infrastructure, financial support and guidance, better agricultural methods, energy/gas generation technologies, communication network, and by introducing and training on village and eco tourism. All stake holders the Government, NGOs, banks and self help groups have to play a pivotal role in ensuring sustainable rural development without losing the charm and the quintessential look of the villages. The visionary Inaugural Lecture by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India, is igniting and the icing on the cake.
The articles are authoritative, and few case studies, add value to the content. Concepts like Community Radio are of great interest. This book will help people who want to do investment in rural areas, students of economics and sociology, those in rural researches, and for those who have an urban heart.
This Volume is the first attempt to cross-fertilize palaeography and linguistics in the ongoing research on Brahma and its daughter scripts used in the present-day India. The palaeographic papers cover the main issues in the decipherment of the Indus Valley script, and the linguistic papers explore the issues of the roots of the orthographic unit akshara in Vedic phonetics. Palaeographers epigraphists, linguists and computational scientists, will find this volume interesting and useful.
This volume presents the advances in the ongoing research on Brahmi and its daughter scripts used in the present day India. It brings together two main trends: evolutionary-historical development and linguistic grounding. This is the first attempt to cross-fertilize palaeography and linguistics. The palaeographic papers cover the main issues in the decipherment of the Indus Valley script, the origin and evolution of Brahmi, and the palaeographic methods and considerations employed in the decipherment of scripts. These present different trends and arguments of writers on the origin of Brahmi as having been around the Mauryan era or at a much earlier stage, relate to broader historical and cultural issues. They also deal with the need for the use of established and more current palaeographic techniques in classifying regional and stylistic variants of scripts. The linguistic papers in the volume explore the issues of the roots of the orthographic unit aksara in Vedic phonetics, its claim as a minimal articulatory phonetic unit, and the properties of Brahmi as a generative writing system. The philosophical and linguistic underpinning of the concept aksara is shown to thread its use in the varieties of treatises, from the Vedas to phonetic texts. The papers help in providing linguistic evidence for historical accounts of the script as an invention at a given time or as an evolving evolutionary system, apart from relating the development of the script to the linguistic history of India. Palaeographers epigraphists, linguists and computational scientists, will find this volume interesting and useful.
The book deals with evolution of Mughal architecture (ad 1526 to 1658) and explains the distinct characteristics of Mughal art the use of architectural material by the Mughals, their roofing techniques, their dome and the special features of the Mughal jharokha. Prof. Nath delves into the concepts and customs the Mughal architecture involved, discussing examples of monuments in detail.
It deals, extremely briefly, with the evolutionary process of Mughal Architecture, practically from Babur to Shah Jehan (1526 to 1658 ad). Instead of being an exotic phenomenon, as it is largely misunderstood, Mughal Architecture, like the Gupta art, was deeply rooted in the soil and it grew and developed not only on indigenous forms and techniques, but also on its concepts, customs and beliefs. It was owing to the decisive participation of native sources, in its development, that such a wonderful monument as the Taj Mahal could be built in India, and nowhere else. The Land, the People and the Culture have made it what it is, which is why it is so diametrically different from any other art of Islam. Written in a simple language, without the research jargon, and adequately illustrated, the book gives an authoritative appraisal of the subject with landmark examples.
The volume highlights the relevance of indigenous knowledge of South Asian tribal and rural communities in sustainable management of forests and local resources. With case studies, it shows that collective initiatives at the grassroots level and locally accepted patterns of livelihood of these communities can help address challenges of economic development vis-a-vis environmental hazard and a declining resource base.
Reflecting the latest findings of a large research project that began about a decade ago this volume, the 5th in the ongoing Man and Forest series, highlights the relevance of indigenous knowledge of various South Asian tribal and rural communities in the sustainable management of forests and local resources more specially against the growing challenges of economic development vis-a-vis environmental hazards and a declining resource base. Not only the volume reiterates the relevance of indigenous knowledge as a development tool in this age of standardized, modern know-how applications, but also illustrates its enormous impact on the social development in tribal and rural areas. Not just in India but in the adjacent countries of Nepal and Bhutan as well are analysed forest policy issues. In these countries, particularly in the current scenario of regulation, the authors emphasise of both collective initiatives at the grassroots level and securing the locally accepted patterns of livelihood for the tribal and village communities. The volume includes widely varied case studies on the role of indigenous knowledge in forestry, community living, and joint management of local natural resources. This book consists of 17 papers, based on cross-cultural, interdisciplinary investigations of well-known scholars of forest management, ethno-botanists, social anthropologists and of the members of several local NGOs involved in either community forestry or village development programmes.
The National Mission for Manuscripts, through its nationwide documentation efforts, is engaged in preserving and rendering accessible India’s knowledge cultures. The Mission’s Seminar Series, Samrakshka, which began in February 2005, presents various regional and local practices employed in the creation and preservation of manuscripts.
The National Mission for Manuscripts was established as a five-year project in February 2003 by the Department of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India. Its purpose is to locate, document, preserve and disseminate the knowledge content of Indian manuscripts. The Mission, through its nation-wide network and documentation efforts, is engaged in preserving and rendering accessible India’s knowledge cultures, seeking to link the ideas and visions of the past with the future. The Mission’s Seminar Series, ‘Samrakska’, began with a Seminar in February 2005 on Oral Traditions and Indigenous Methods of Preservation and Conservation of Manuscripts. Papers presented during this Seminar deal with the various regional and local practices employed in the creation and preservation of manuscripts. They provide valuable information on old and indigenous techniques which, over the years, have been relegated to the margins of contemporary conservation practices and deserve a revival. Conducted over a period of three years, the Seminar provided ample opportunity to the participants to share their ideas and experiences, discuss the merits of various alternatives and formulate plans in the area of manuscript conservation for the future.
The two volumes present a comprehensive study of political, cultural and religious history of Indonesia. Of encyclopaedic significance, they take up a whole gamut of themes relating to history, politics, religion, literature, art and architecture, and sculpture of Indonesia. The volumes will immensely benefit scholars of political history, religion and culture specialising in South-east Asia and its links with other regions of Asia.
The two volumes present a comprehensive study of political, cultural and religious history of Indonesia. Of encyclopaedic significance, they take up a whole gamut of themes relating to history, politics, religion, literature, art and architecture, and sculpture of Indonesia. The first volume is on political history of Indonesia. It covers all dynasties/rulers of Indonesia from the earliest Sailendras of Srivijaya to the political scene in current times including the rise of President Sukarnoputri in the recent past. It covers a very wide range of aspects: struggles of dynasties, establishment of empires by the Sailendras, the Indo-Javanese empire of the kingdoms of Mataram, Kadiri, Singhasari and others, emergence of new cultures, decline and fall of the Hindu kingdom, colonial invasions and growth of nationalism. The second volume begins with the history of East Timor. It makes an in-depth survey of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam in Indonesia, covering their establishment, contacts with other places owing to their religious links, modes of religious worship and rituals. The art, architecture and sculpture of the country symbolising Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic traditions are surveyed meticulously. A detailed account of Indonesia’s literature involves study of writers and their works, and languages and characteristics of the literature at various times. The volume discusses chronicles, historical writings, writings on medicine and on numerous miscellaneous topics, throwing light on their contents and styles of expression. The volumes will immensely benefit scholars of political history, religion and culture specialising in South-east Asia and its links with other regions of Asia.
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