India: Life, Myth and Art

Ancient Civilisations: life, myth and art #9

by Prasad

Indias cultural legacy is extraordinarily rich and diverse, as well as profoundly influential. This is the cradle of two of the worlds greatest religions (Buddhism and Hinduism) and the holy language of Sanskritas well as the home of Sikhism and Jainism. For centuries Indias beliefs and myths have fascinated Westerners, including spiritual pilgrims who find themselves drawn to the special atmosphere of its holy places. India is the indispensable illustrated guide to the essential features of this life-enriching heritage of wisdom and beauty. As well as the religions and their sacred texts, ceremonies, art, and architecture, the scope of the book embraces such major themes as the impact of Islam; profound philosophical insights about time and the cosmos; and important innovations in technology, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine.

There are illustrated features on key aspects of Indian belief and practice, such as the linga and the yoni, the lotus, the chakras, and the fearsome goddess Kali. Sacred sites covered include the Mughal mausoleum of the Taj Mahal and the great Buddhist stupa at Sanchi. From the civilizations that grew up along the Indus river more than 4,000 years ago to the dawn of European imperialism, India traces the rise and fall of faiths, empires, and dynastiesgiving us a multi-faceted portrait of a country that, because of its far-reaching cultural influence, has rightly been called the mother of us all.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Naomi Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read, great pictures, great information. I thought it would be much more dry and difficult to get through. I was quite pleased with this book and happily surprised.

[Inge Joosten · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite an interesting read which provided a good overview of Indian culture.
Unfortunately I really did not like the Dutch translation.

[Kierra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really beautiful book with nicely rendered illustrations and short entries on a wide variety of subjects regarding Indian history, religion, and art. My main complaint was that for a fairly brief overview, it was at times painfully verbose and had unnecessarily academic language, making it less accessible to many readers who would otherwise enjoy the content. The author seemed always to want to choose a $10 word when a $1 word would have been sufficient and consumed less space. It was like reading Indian history's version of Jordan Peterson.

[Sophie Zapoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was a very insightful and enjoyable introduction into the vast and diverse culture of India. It provides a detailed overview of various aspects of Indian culture, from the arts and dance forms to its extensive history and sciences, without being overbearing on the reader- making for a light yet informative read. I throughly enjoyed broadening my understanding of this exotic culture.