Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c74.s2.10

v2.c74.s2.10

The first question is: Can we investigate these scattered icons and other sculptures and gather them together in groups or styles or orders on the basis of the aforesaid integration as we have been able to do, to some extent, in case of the architectural remains? The answer may be in negative. As already pointed out that the background of Hindu Iconography is the institution of worship and this institution has had manifold transformations with the rise of different and divergent cults and sects. The rise of iconography, therefore, in our view, is synchronous with the cult-rituals. Granted that there were only five principal religious schools—Śaivism, Vaiṣṇavism, Śāktism, Buddhism and Jainism—developing their own Theology, Philosophy, Mythology and Rituals and in accordance with them for a proper evaluation of the sculptures associated with these religious trends, we have to go back to sacred sites. Naturally therefore, all the iconic sculptures scatterd far and wide in the different templesites to mention a few of them—Khajuraho and Bhuvanesvara in the North, Madura, Srirangam, Ramesvaram, etc. in the south can conveniently be grouped into two or three groups as the affinity is bewildering and evolution too is a result of inter-mixture of one another. Similarly the Buddhist and Jain Sculptures can be studied even though apparently hetrodox they are really very much influenced by the Brahmanical influences.