Depiction of Saptamatrikas in Indian Art
Sakti is the Mother of the Universe: the highest primal power. She is the all pervading,intangible energy principle that propels the cosmos and its endless human dimensions with the life-throbs of activity and culture. The Saptamatrkas known as Seven Divine Little Mothers are the manifestations of Sakti. The cult of Saptamatrka is of considerable antiquity. The Mahabharata, the Puraas and other literary texts have provided vivid accounts of the origin of the little Mother Goddesses. The author besides emphasizing on the literary descriptions of Matrikas has also discussed the emergence and representation of the Saptamatrkas along with the iconographical interpretation as the Goddesses have occupied a prominent place in the sculptural history of India through the ages. A large number of Saptamatrka panels and images are noticed from our sub-continent ranging from Ist century A.D.to 13th century A.D. Here the author presents rich and variegated pictures of the Seven Little Mothers which glorify the Art History of India highlighting the iconography of individual images with special reference to the Silpa and Tantric texts. He focuses on different depictions of Saptamatrka images. The book also incorporates the genesis of Sakti cult, sakta pithas of Odisha, origin and evolution of the Goddesses, survey of prominent sculptures found both in Odisha and other Indian States. The extensive field work and hundreds of the portrayal of the Saptamatrkas have made this book colourful as well as the first of its kind. The work abounds in photographs revealing the variety forms of the Goddesses which will definitely create the interest for scholars and students of Indology, particularly those studying religious art, architecture and sculpture of Odisha in particular and that of India in general.
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