HISTORY AND HERITAGE: THE AFTERLIFE OF MONUMENTS

Curator: Prof. Himanshu Prabha Ray

Reading Narrative Panels on the Early Temples of Central India

Illustrated lecture by Dr. Aparajita Bhattacharya, Associate Professor, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Her research interest covers socio-cultural history of sacred landscape and architecture in early India, aspects of religion, religiosity, and art-iconography.

Chair: Prof. Seema Bawa, University of Delhi

This presentation examines the narrative panels sculpted on the early structural temples of Central India built during the period between 4th to 6th centuries of the Common Era. It explores the functional aspects of early temples as vibrant socio-cultural spaces by studying the aesthetic representation of the myth cycles of Vishnu from the temples of Pawaya (Gwalior), Nachna (Panna, Madhya Pradesh), Deogarh, Ramgarh hills (Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh) and Garhwa (Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh) to mention a few.