09-30-2003, 06:33 PM
crossposted from Bharatnirbhaya
Annapurna - Book review
Annapurna
by P. Arundhati. Concept Publishing, New Delhi. Pages 108. Rs 200.
Review by Kavita Chauhan
THE book under review is a collection of articles written and
lectures delivered by the author on different occasions. The title
of the book "Annapurna"is very misleading, basically the book is
about the life and culture of ancient India. The articles cover a
wide range of subjects like nourishment, medicine, ecology,
psychology, chemistry and petrology.
The book is a rich contribution to ideological studies. The author
talks about various concepts that flourished under different
dynasties in ancient India. The essay "Annapurna" is about the
spiritual significance given to annam (food) in Hinduism. The
term "annam"is derived from the Sanskrit root "ad" to eat, has its
origin in food and nourishment. The Aranyakas state that the jiva is
covered by five kosas (sheaths) ¨C namely, annamayakosa,
pranamayakosa, manomyakosa, vigynanamayakosa and anandamayakosa and
is nourished by means of annam in sukshma and sthulakosas. Thus the
Brahman who is the form of jiva is to be worshiped by offering annam.
The people of ancient India recognised the spiritual significance of
annam and held that it forms one of the sheaths annamayakosa that
the being of a person. Since annam is the main source of life, in
Hindu mythology there is a goddess associated with food, who is
known as Annapurna. Goddess Annapurna is the presiding deity of
Kashi, the most sacred place in India. Though very few temples are
dedicated to her; most of them are found in South India only. The
cult of Mother Goddess is expressed in different forms in Indian
literature: Aditi, Prithvi, Sita and Gauri are the Goddesses
mentioned in the Vedas.
Some of the essays are centred around Andhra Pradesh during the
Satvahana and Chalukya rule. The Nanaghat, Nashik and Talgunda
inscriptions left behind by the Satvahana dynasty show that Vedism,
Saivism, Bhagvatism and other Brahmanical cults and traditions
flourished during this period. The archaeological findings and
literary sources like Gathasaptasathi testifies this. The village
folk of ancient Andhra Pradesh was free from the domination of the
priestly class and complicated rituals. Their way of worship was
very simple. The path of bhakti occupied a higher place in the
hearts of people. Gathasaptsathi gives a detailed description of the
village life of the Satvahana dynasty.
In ancient India dietics is a subject intimately connected with the
welfare of the kings. King Somadeva describes in his "Yasastilaka"
that king Yasogarh listens to an exposition of sound dietics by his
royal physician as a part of his daily activities. Somadeva
discusses the medicinal values of food with reference to the nature
of human body and changing environment. According to the ayurvedic
system of medicine, the human body consists of panchamahabhutas or
the five elements ¡ª namely, earth, water, fire, wind and ether.
These five elements are to be substituted in the body by means of
food and drinks. The imbalance of these elements results in disease.
This is the reason why Somadeva like other ancient scholars and
philosophers, laid emphasis on sound dietics and exercise for the
welfare of the king; since the welfare of the whole country is the
summum bonum of his life.
The kings used to enjoy their leisure time listening to different
kathas. King Somesvara of the Chalukya dynasty gives a detailed
description of kathavinoda in his treatise "Mansollasa."
Bharata¡¯s Natya Sastra is the earliest and systematic treatise on
aesthetics. The concept of eight rasas propounded by Bharata
influenced king Somesvara. It is stated that kathas are of four
types ekvartrika, divivarika, chaturmuka and bahupurusa depending
upon the number of singers. The one whose voice is full of life,
well versed in all ragas, eloquent, capable of reading the passages
clearly, possesses knowledge of tala (beat), gita (lyric), and the
katha (story) should be invited by the king to sing kathas.
The Chalukyas of Kalyani who ruled over the present Karnataka and
Andhra during the 11th and 12th centuries were great patrons of
painting besides architecture. The temples of Kolpaka,
Paccalasomeswara, Allahdurgh are some of silent witness of their
love for art. The technique of vajralepa is unique in the history of
Indian paintings. The vajralepa is used for the preparation of the
ground for the painting. King Somesvara gives a method of
preparation of the lepan. The skin of a buffalo is cooked in milk
till it becomes a soft paste like butter. White clay and other
dhatus called naga is mixed with vajralepa and coated smoothly and
evenly on the wall three times before painting. The use of leather
and milk in the art of painting has been found in other countries
like Egypt, Rome, etc. even in modern period.
The author, as a Registering Officer in the Archaeological Survey of
India, discovered several sites and temples of archaeological
significance. The book offers interesting reading for those who are
into ideological studies. i wonder what the author means by this sentence The articles reflect the strength and
vitality of Indian culture.
[url="http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011223/spectrum/book3.htm"]http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011223/...ctrum/book3.htm[/url]
Annapurna - Book review
Annapurna
by P. Arundhati. Concept Publishing, New Delhi. Pages 108. Rs 200.
Review by Kavita Chauhan
THE book under review is a collection of articles written and
lectures delivered by the author on different occasions. The title
of the book "Annapurna"is very misleading, basically the book is
about the life and culture of ancient India. The articles cover a
wide range of subjects like nourishment, medicine, ecology,
psychology, chemistry and petrology.
The book is a rich contribution to ideological studies. The author
talks about various concepts that flourished under different
dynasties in ancient India. The essay "Annapurna" is about the
spiritual significance given to annam (food) in Hinduism. The
term "annam"is derived from the Sanskrit root "ad" to eat, has its
origin in food and nourishment. The Aranyakas state that the jiva is
covered by five kosas (sheaths) ¨C namely, annamayakosa,
pranamayakosa, manomyakosa, vigynanamayakosa and anandamayakosa and
is nourished by means of annam in sukshma and sthulakosas. Thus the
Brahman who is the form of jiva is to be worshiped by offering annam.
The people of ancient India recognised the spiritual significance of
annam and held that it forms one of the sheaths annamayakosa that
the being of a person. Since annam is the main source of life, in
Hindu mythology there is a goddess associated with food, who is
known as Annapurna. Goddess Annapurna is the presiding deity of
Kashi, the most sacred place in India. Though very few temples are
dedicated to her; most of them are found in South India only. The
cult of Mother Goddess is expressed in different forms in Indian
literature: Aditi, Prithvi, Sita and Gauri are the Goddesses
mentioned in the Vedas.
Some of the essays are centred around Andhra Pradesh during the
Satvahana and Chalukya rule. The Nanaghat, Nashik and Talgunda
inscriptions left behind by the Satvahana dynasty show that Vedism,
Saivism, Bhagvatism and other Brahmanical cults and traditions
flourished during this period. The archaeological findings and
literary sources like Gathasaptasathi testifies this. The village
folk of ancient Andhra Pradesh was free from the domination of the
priestly class and complicated rituals. Their way of worship was
very simple. The path of bhakti occupied a higher place in the
hearts of people. Gathasaptsathi gives a detailed description of the
village life of the Satvahana dynasty.
In ancient India dietics is a subject intimately connected with the
welfare of the kings. King Somadeva describes in his "Yasastilaka"
that king Yasogarh listens to an exposition of sound dietics by his
royal physician as a part of his daily activities. Somadeva
discusses the medicinal values of food with reference to the nature
of human body and changing environment. According to the ayurvedic
system of medicine, the human body consists of panchamahabhutas or
the five elements ¡ª namely, earth, water, fire, wind and ether.
These five elements are to be substituted in the body by means of
food and drinks. The imbalance of these elements results in disease.
This is the reason why Somadeva like other ancient scholars and
philosophers, laid emphasis on sound dietics and exercise for the
welfare of the king; since the welfare of the whole country is the
summum bonum of his life.
The kings used to enjoy their leisure time listening to different
kathas. King Somesvara of the Chalukya dynasty gives a detailed
description of kathavinoda in his treatise "Mansollasa."
Bharata¡¯s Natya Sastra is the earliest and systematic treatise on
aesthetics. The concept of eight rasas propounded by Bharata
influenced king Somesvara. It is stated that kathas are of four
types ekvartrika, divivarika, chaturmuka and bahupurusa depending
upon the number of singers. The one whose voice is full of life,
well versed in all ragas, eloquent, capable of reading the passages
clearly, possesses knowledge of tala (beat), gita (lyric), and the
katha (story) should be invited by the king to sing kathas.
The Chalukyas of Kalyani who ruled over the present Karnataka and
Andhra during the 11th and 12th centuries were great patrons of
painting besides architecture. The temples of Kolpaka,
Paccalasomeswara, Allahdurgh are some of silent witness of their
love for art. The technique of vajralepa is unique in the history of
Indian paintings. The vajralepa is used for the preparation of the
ground for the painting. King Somesvara gives a method of
preparation of the lepan. The skin of a buffalo is cooked in milk
till it becomes a soft paste like butter. White clay and other
dhatus called naga is mixed with vajralepa and coated smoothly and
evenly on the wall three times before painting. The use of leather
and milk in the art of painting has been found in other countries
like Egypt, Rome, etc. even in modern period.
The author, as a Registering Officer in the Archaeological Survey of
India, discovered several sites and temples of archaeological
significance. The book offers interesting reading for those who are
into ideological studies. i wonder what the author means by this sentence The articles reflect the strength and
vitality of Indian culture.
[url="http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011223/spectrum/book3.htm"]http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011223/...ctrum/book3.htm[/url]