The exploration of trans-oceanic connectivity is uniquely approached through coastal shrines and maritime cultural landscapes in the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea. Spanning from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE, the book delves into the expanding networks and cross-cultural encounters that shaped the region's history, highlighting the significance of these sites in understanding maritime interactions and cultural exchanges over centuries.
Focusing on the evolution of religious architecture, the book explores how shrines served as centers for rituals, festivities, and ethical discussions, linking the ruling elite with the community. It examines the transformation of these sites during colonial rule in South Asia, highlighting a shift from cultural pluralism to a more monotheistic identity. Through this lens, the author sheds light on the historical and social contexts that shaped the multi-religious identity of monuments in India, offering a compelling narrative of their significance.
Focusing on archaeological discoveries in colonial India, the book explores their significant role in reconstructing India's Buddhist past and shaping public discourse around it. It also examines Buddhism's legacy in the post-independence era, highlighting how Buddhist symbols influenced nation-building and the creation of the constitution.
The book explores the archaeological journey of Buddhism's expansion and its diverse forms across South Asia. It highlights the crucial roles of relic and image worship in promoting the faith and delves into the historical significance of monastic complexes, as well as the practices of religious travel and pilgrimage.
"The Hindu Temple and Its Sacred Landscape illustrates how careful attention to the Hindu temple, its social history, and cultural landscape allows us to better appreciate how Hinduism has been practised and lived throughout history. The Hindu temple was not merely a place of worship or a static indicator of royal generosity but an institution that involved the active participation of the community for its establishment, maintenance, and survival. Rather than studying temples as isolated structures, The Hindu Temple and Its Sacred Landscape thus suggests that we need to examine them in the context of their social base and the sacred microcosms of which they form a part. Through a combination of textual study, archaeological evidence, and insights from contemporary anthropology, the book explores the diverse ways in which devotees, patrons, and visitors have engaged with temples, shrines, and their wider surroundings. Drawing attention to the vibrancy of the Hindu temple in different locales, The Hindu Temple and Its Sacred Landscape traces the ways in which Hindu notions of sanctity and sacredness were defined and redefined throughout history through the diversity of temple audiences, deities, and rituals. The book thus allows us to form a more accurate picture of Hindu religious life in the past and the central role the temple has played in consolidating Hindu identity."--
