About the Book: The Archaeology of Sacred Spaces
This volume focuses on the religious shrine in western India as an institution
of cultural integration in the period spanning 200 BCE to 800 CE. It presents an
analysis of religious architecture at multiple levels, both temporal and
spatial, and distinguishes it as a ritual instrument that integrates individuals
and communities into a cultural fabric. The work shows how these structures
emphasise on communication with a host of audiences such as the lay worshipper,
the ritual specialist, the royalty and the elite as well as the artisan and the
sculptor. It also examines religious imagery, inscriptions, traditional lore and
Sanskrit