Hindu Deities in Thailand an Iconographic Study

Language: EnglishPages: 129 (Throughout Color Illustrations)About the Book Thailand is known to the world outside as a Buddhist country. Yet it is also true that there is an undercurrent of Hinduism among a widely distributed section of the population. While Buddhism in the land is inspired by the north- western neighbour, Mayanmar, perhaps a stronger influence from her eastern neighbour, Campuchea, by political and cultural conquests, is of no less importance. It is thus that the principal Hindu Trinity, and, by degrees, the subsidiaries became established as the serious objects of worship and sculptural figurization. The present treatise has endeavoured to bring to the fore the extant examples of the Hindu deities and their iconography with the help of illustrations and study of comparative material from prototypes. This has been achieved in eight Chapters of illustrated descriptions aided by a Glossary and a couple of Maps. About the Author Professor A. K. Bhattacharyya, well-known for his accredited research publications in most fields of Indian and Trans-Indian art for the last more than fifty years, is the recipient of honours in his own country and from abroad. He was awarded PS of the Calcutta University, a Bengal Govt. Research Fellowship, a Fellowship from the Pacific Cultural Foundation, Republic of China, a Senior Research Fellowship from the ICHR, New Delhi, and a Fellowship from the Japan Foundation, while the Govt. of the then W. Germany and the Royal Govt. of Thailand also awarding him Research Grants. His crowning glory was the