South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses c3: Preface
South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses c3
- Language
- English
Preface
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THIS little book owes its origin to a suggestion made by His Excellency Lord Carmichael, when he was Governor of Madras in the year 1912. He felt that, while there was a multitude of books dealing with Hindu religion and incidentally with Hindu iconography, there was no popular handbook which would give information about the images one commonly sees in temples or museums in Southern India, and that it would be a distinctly useful thing to supply that want. The Madras Government entrusted the task to me, presumably because my official duties bring me very often to visit the various temples in the Province and to study and classify the images found therein.
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When I accepted the task, I was not fully aware of the difficulties that lay before me. In the first place, there were very few printed books, in Sanskrit or in translations, that gave the orthodox description and significance of the images set up in temples. And when I managed to collate notes from a few old manuscripts treating of this subject, it was almost impossible in several instances to reconcile the discrepancies which they showed or even to understand the technical terms which abounded in them. In some cases, the description of a particular image found in the local chronicles or *Sthala-Purāṇas* could not be traced in the *Āgamas*. I am not altogether sanguine that I have steered clear of these difficulties and succeeded in presenting a clear and readable account to the average reader.
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My chief source of information in compiling this book has been an excellent work entitled "Tattvanidhi," published by the Sri-Venkaṭēśvara Steam Press at Bombay, and compiled by His Highness the Mahārāja Mummadi Krishnarāja Vodeyar Bahadūr of Mysore. A short bibliography of other Sanskrit works consulted by me is given at page xv.
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Among the many friends who have kindly helped me in this task, my special thanks are due to Sir J. H. Marshall, Kt., C.I.E., M.A., LITT.D., F.S.A., Director-General of Archæology, Simla, and his assistant Mr. V. Natesa Aiyar, B.A., for extracts from ancient manuscripts on the subject of Indian iconography; to Mr. A. H. Longhurst, Archæological Superintendent, Southern Circle, for the numerous illustrations without which the book would be almost unintelligible; and to Mr. C. S. Anantarama Aiyar, the Under Secretary to the Government of Madras, for much valuable criticism which has been of great assistance to me. My thanks are also due to Mr. T. Fisher, Superintendent, Government Press, Madras, for his many kind suggestions about the get-up of the book and a practical arrangement of the numerous illustrations.
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OOTACAMUND, 1st April 1916.
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H. KRISHNA SASTRI.