Himalayan Buddhist Art and Architecture

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Images are mute spectators of the past ages. Their fine craftsmanship, beauty and polish convey much more than their values. To identify images and architectural remains is a difficult task. India is very rich in both the fields. Indian art of Himalayan region has not only covered the territory of India but its influence is also noticed on other countries like Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and China located in the Himalayan tract.

The art and architecture of Himalayan tract is mostly Buddhist but it is different from those which developed in the plain arca of Indian Territory. The art and architecture of Himalayan region was influenced by Mahayana and Vajrayana form of Buddhism.

In this book, the author has tried his best to cover all the aspects of Buddhist art and architecture prevalent in this zone. The present book deals with the Buddhist art and architecture of Indian Himalayan region, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and China. Definition of a few technical terms used in the book is also given in the glossary. In this way the book gives a holistic vision on Buddhist art and architecture of Himalayan region. The book is well supported by illustrations and figures. Hope the book will be beneficial for the students and art lovers.

Dr G.K. Lama (b. 1963), Professor, Department of AIHC and Archaeology, Centre of Advanced Study, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, having specialization in the field of Archaeology, Buddhism and South-East Asian Studies and has thirty-one books to his credit. He has presented 89 research papers in various national and international seminars and 113 research papers have been published in various reputed journals, edited books, conference proceedings and felicitation volumes.

He has completed a Major Research Project entitled Archaeological Investigation in and around Nalanda granted by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, which was submitted in 2014. The author has also completed sixteen projects regarding archaeological investigations in Sikkim, Eastern and western Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with the kind permission of Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi. He has invited twice to Sri Lanka and once to Thailand to deliver special lectures.

Images are mute spectators of the past ages. Their fine craftsmanship, beauty and polish convey much more than their values. To identify images and architectural remains is a difficult task. India is very rich in both the fields. Indian art of Himalayan region has not only covered the territory of India but its influence is also noticed on other countries like Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and China located in the Himalayan tract. Art historians like A.K. Coomaraswamy, Debjani Pal, Pratapaditya Pal, K. Krishnamurti, N.J. Krom, Stella Kramrisch, A.J.B. Kempers, Debala Mitra, S.L. Huntington, F.B. Havel, M. Hallade, A. Grunwedel, A.K. Gordon, A. Getty, C.P. Fitzgerald, G.C. Chauley, Lokesh Chandra, Percy Brown, N.K. Bhattasali, and many more have done a great job in this field and their works are pathfinder for the new generation.

The countries lies in Himalayan region are Nepal, Bhutan, China occupied Tibet and China itself. Indian states and union territories like Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, Sikkim and Darjeeling (West Bengal) are the part of this region. This mysterious region always attracted saints and ascetics of various cults. How and when Buddhism spread in this region where human survival is very tough and challenging, how Buddhism attracted the barbaric community of this region, and how this region has still saved the Buddhist monuments and images are the interesting topics discussed in this volume.