Indian art has a long history and is a subject of great importance as expressing the soul of Indian civilisation. Its value is equal to that of Indian religion, philosophy and literature, which are all to be tapped as perennial sources for the understanding of Indian art-forms.

Indian art is to be studied at two different levels, viz. the external form and the inner meaning. Up to now it has been usual to approach Indian art from the external point of view, i.e. the objective description of images, statuary, architectural buildings and monuments. That is quite correct and essential as the primary basis of approach. But there is also the other side of the medal, viz. the esoteric side which consists in the study of meaning and purpose of art of which the roots lie hidden in Indian religion and philosophy. By looking at these two with equal insight one may be able to recover the true and full significance of the Indian mind as expressed in the creations of art.

Indian artists were, no doubt, interested in beautiful forms and aesthetic problems. They handled a vast and varied repertoire of geometrical, floral, arboreal, animal and human forms but their greatest interest or appeal was to the divine figures, a rich pantheon of gods and goddesses who filled the centre of the picture and whose endless glory and great splendour was of real interest to human beings. Nothing affords greater pleasure to the Indian art critic than to feel divine presence of great gods like Rudra-Siva, and Vishnu, of goddesses like Sri-Lakshmi and Parvati or such divine personages as Buddha and Tirthankara. This calls for a new approach both in the art connoisseur or the sculptor or painter. The papers collected here just make the first attempt to invoke this point of view.

About the Author:

Born 7th August 1904, at village Kheda, district Meerut. Early education at Lucknow. B.A. 1927, Banaras Hindu University. M.A. in History 1929, Lucknow University. Ph.D. 1941 and D.Litt. 1946, Lucknow university [for his work "Panini as a Source of Indian History"]. Joined as Curator, Mathura Museum of Archaeology, 1931 to 1939; Curator, Provincial (now State) Archaeological Museum, Lucknow 1939-1946.

Superintendent, Central Asian Antiquities Museum, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi from 1946 to 1951. [Set up the nucleus of the National Museum] Professor and Head, Department of Art & Architecture [History of Arts], Banaras Hindu University 1951 to 1966. Died 26th July, 1966.

   I. AN APPROACH

     1. Alphabet of Indian Art Symbolism, 3-8; 2. Lalita Kala, 9-22;
     3. Visvakarma, 23-26

   II. INDUS VALLEY ART

     4. Indus Valley Art, 29-38

   III. SOME EARLY SYMBOLS

     5. Symbolic Images and Paintings, 41-42; 6. Purna-Kumbha or the
        Full-Vase, 43-46; 7. Kalpavriksha, 47-52; 8. Cornucopia in
        Literature, 53-54

   IV. MAURYAN ART

     9. Mauryan Art, 57-74

   V. SUNGA ART

     10. The Great Stupa of Bharhut, 77-94; 11. Prakaravapra Kundala, 95-97;
        12 Simsumara-Sirah, 98-101; 13. A new Yakshi image from Mehrauli, 
        102-103; 14. Vasudhara, 104-108

   VI. MATHURA ART

     15. Pre-Kushana Art of Mathura, 111-131; APPENDIX-Four new Yaksha
        Statues, 133-136; 16. Dhyani Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, 137-146;
        17. A new Bodhisattva and a Bacchanalian group from Mathura
        147-151; 18. A new inscribed image of Kasyapa Buddha from Mathura,
        152-154; 19. Mathura Railing Pillars, 155-159; 20. A relief of Rishya
        Sringa, 160-161; 21. Nativity sculpture at Lumbini, 162-163; 22.
        Palace scenes on a Mathura Pillar, 164-167; 23. The Vine motif in
        Mathura Art, 168-171; 24. A Syrinx Player in Mathura Art, 172;
        25. A Naga Image from Mathura, 173-174; 26. New Mathura heads
        and other acquisitions to the Mathura Museum, 175-177; 27. Mathura
        Ayagapattas, 178-180; 28. Brahmanical Images in Mathura Art,
        181-188; 29. Early Brahmanical Relief from Mathura, 189-193; 30.
        India represented on a silver dish from Lampsacos, 194-196

   VII. GUPTA ART

     31. A Survey of Gupta Art, 199-208; 32. Art evidence in Kalidasa, 209-219;
        33. The Gupta Temple at Devagarh, 220-225; 34. A new Gupta Temple
        at Darra in Malwa, 226-227; 35. Sculpture from Nachna Kuthara and
        Khoh, 228-232; 36. A note on Gupta Siva Linga at Mathura, 233-234;
        37. Pancha-vaktra or Kirtimukha motif, 235-240; 38. Kirti,
        Kirtimukha and Kirtistambha, 241-244; 39. Sculpture: Gupta Period
        (300-600 A.D.), 245-254

   VIII. MEDIEVAL ART

     40. Early Medieval Period (8th-9th century), 257-260; 41. A note on
        Sculptures at Lakhamandal, 261-266; 42. Samudramanthana Sculpture
        from Hardwar, 267-268; 43. The Kardamesvara temple at Kandwa,
        Banaras, 269-270; 44. A note on Medieval Temple Architecture, 271-275;
        45. Some Archaeological and Art Terms, 276-288