Art and Architecture of Himachal Pradesh

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About the Book Himachal, the Dev Bhumi as known to the ancients, lies in the heart of the Western himalayas. It is a land of fascination and mystery and its century’s old culture rightly commands deep interest and respect. In itself the region may seem insignificant, thinly populated and located in one of the most interior regions of the Western Himalayas between the Indian Plains and Kashmir. Nevertheless in the fulls and valleys it evolved an unique complex of art and culture made up of many strains both native anrobn in which indigenous rely beliefs predominate On t Himachal Pradesh ancient indigenous trade the other it adopted fidelity the highly developed influence from the Indian plai semi-cultural inflow from the and north east. The inherited and imported elements made an amalgam which gave Himachal Pradesh a distinctive character.

This is the first comprehensive volume to appear on the Art and Architecture of Himachal Pradesh, and it includes sections on Hindu and Buddhist Architecture in the Western Himalaya, sculpture, bronzes, woodcarving, Pahari painting and Chamba rumals. It contains also an extensive and invaluable bibliography and an equally invaluable list of temples, the most complete so far undertaken, the author having obtained the name, location and style of each shrine from the relevant district officers stationed throughout the state.

About the Author Born in an agriculturist family of Jubbal (Shimla district), Mian Goverdhan Singh graduated from the Punjab University in 1949. His passion for books drove him to opt for library profession. He served the Himachal Pradesh Secretarial Library, Shimla as a Chief Librarian for thirty-five years. Though a librarian, his first love remained Himachal Pradesh, its people. history, art and culture He has therefore, devoted all his leisure hours in the pursuit of these subjects and has been writing since 1962.

He has several pioneering books an Himachal Pradesh to his credit. Among his publications are: Three lectures on 'Ancient History of Himachal Pradesh', included in Himachal Pradesh: Past, Present and Future published by Himachal Pradesh University; History of Himachal Pradesh (1982); Art and Architecture of Himachal Pradesh (1983); Descriptive Bibliography of Himachal Pradesh (1985); Himachal Pradesh: History, Culture and Economy (1988); Festivals, Fairs and Customs of Himachal Pradesh (1992); Himachal Pradesh ka Itihas (Hindi) (1996). In 1986 he was honoured with first state award for his contribution to the culture of Himachal Pradesh. The State Academy of Art, Culture and Languages also honoured him with Shikhar Samman award in 1996.

Foreword This is the first comprehensive volume to appear on the Art and Architecture of Himachal Pradesh, and it includes sections on Hindu and Buddhist Architecture in the Western Himalaya, sculpture, bronzes, woodcarving, Pahari painting and Chamba rumals. It contains also an extensive and invaluable bibliography and an equally invaluable list of temples, the most complete so far undertaken, the author having obtained the name, location and style of each shrine from the relevant district officers stationed throughout the state. This is an achievement which no single person could realize in a lifetime, owing to the slowness and uncertainty of travel in these vast mountains, and the fact that many of the temples are still inaccessible by jeep, and to reach them entails a walk of a day or more from the nearest bus stop.

The author, Dewan Goverdhan Singh, must surely be among the most competent and inspiring librarians not only in India, but in the world. I once went to the Secretariat library (the first of many times) to read "An Account of Koons war", by the Brothers Gerard, and said casually that if there were any other books written in English on this district I would like to have a look at them. Within ten minutes of my sitting down, a large table was laden with twenty to thirty books comprising everything that had ever been written in English on Koonawar (now called Kinnaur).

t is a well established fact that whenever the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, or a lesser official, has to go to a remote village to make a speech, his Secretary rings up the librarian to ask for information. In due course the Minister arrives at the library and there he finds a number of books on a table all open at the relevant pages so that he can get both background material and local colour for his speech.

By such a dedicated person as Dewan Goverdhan Singh, tied to his exacting labours at the great Secretariat library, field work cannot often be undertaken. But the value of the present book lies in the fact that he has gathered together most of the information at present available on the Art and Archaeology of Himachal Pradesh, collated it, and presented it in a readable form to students of the cultural traditions of this, the most remote and bewitching of Indian States.

Preface Himachal, the Dee Bhumi us known to the lets in the heart of the here rightly commands deep interest and respect. Is if the region may insignificant, thinly populated and located in me of the most interior recloses of the Western Himalayas between the Indian Plains and Kashmir Nevertheless in the hills and valleys it evolved an unique complex of art and culture made up of many strains both native and foreign in which indigenous religion and beliefs predominate On the one hand Himachal Pradesh maintained ancient Indigenous traditions and on the other it adopted with great fidelity the highly developed cultural influence from the Indian plains and semi-cultural inflow from the north and north east. The inherited and imported elements made an amalgam which gave Himachal Pradesh a distinctive character.

Very little has been written on the art, architecture and culture of Himachal Pradesh, notwithstanding a few writings specialized and others general. Most of these writings stress the art and cultural influences from the North Indian plains and pay little attention to the details of the indigenous creativeness and northern inflows.

I have, therefore, deliberately written this book in a way which, I hope, would clarify many questions that have not been attempted so far. This is not intended to be a scholarly work. I am sure, there are many who can do it far better than I, but it is meant for the general readers who want to enlarge their knowledge about the art and architecture of Himachal Pradesh in its entirety.

This book is divided into three parts. The first is devoted to the indigenous art which is peculiar to the land, while the second deals with the art and cultural traits brought from time to time by the people from the Indian plains, and the third part covers the Tibetan cultural influences that flowed in from the seventh century onward from the north and north east.

Since Himachal Pradesh mostly remained unaffected by the foreign invasions, it affords a wonderful opportunity to study the history, development and style of different facets of art and architecture that flourished here since time immemorial.

**Contents and Sample Pages**