Yadava Sculpture (Western Maharashtra : 1000 A.D. to 1400 A.D)

This book treats Yadava Sculpture for the first time as an art in its own right, with its own sensuous language of forms and special insights. It mainly deals with the cultural aspects of the Yadavas of Deogiri who dominated the Indian political scene in and around Maharashtra.

This period-the medieval-is looked upon as the age of artistic activity all over India. With the death of Ramachandra Yadava, vanished the glory and prestige of the Yadava Empire and the temple building activity moved to farther south.

Yadava Sculpture is one of the leading Schools in Indian Sculpture, which has been neglected by Western as well as Indian Scholars alike with the exception of some notes here and there. The author has undertaken an extensive survey of Western Maharashtra and a number of temples not noted by earlier Scholars, have been discussed. These temples date approximately from 1000A.D. to 1400 A.D.

The major part of the book consists of an analysis and an appreciation of all these figures as an expression of plastic art. However, other important aspects have been discussed summarily. The erotic Sculpture in recent years has attracted a great deal of attention. Yadava temples, undoubtedly, are not an exception. A separate chapter has been devoted to this topic. In addition to these, an elaborate glossary of technical words and bibliography is supplied along with beautiful illustrations. Sculptures are revealed here through more than hundred photographs and some sketches, representing the whole range of Yadava Sculpture. It is toped, scholars and research students of Indian art and Indology will find the book to be of great interest.

Born on 4th May, 1937, Dr. Deshpande has done his double M.A. in History and achieved his Ph.D. degree on his thesis entitled 'Yadava Sculpture'. His career is marked with his rich experience as a teacher, lecturer and a scholar. He has a number of articles such as those published in 'Marathi Vishwakosh' (first XI vols) and in other reputed Marathi magazines and newspapers to his credit. He is a charter member of the Lions' International Club, Wai branch Since its inception. Besides he has worked as President and Vice-Chairman of the district in 1980-81, 1981-82, respectively. He has also been on the editorial board of Navbharat Magazine Since 1977 onwards. The author has been coopted on the Board of Studies (Ancient Indian Culture & History) of Shivaji University, Kolhapur from 1985 to 1987. He was working as an editor in the Archaeology & History Section, Marathi Vishwakosh University, (Satara) in Maharashtra.

The present dissertation aims at a critical appreciation of the sculptural ornament found on the Yadava temples in Western Maharashtra. It is based on a survey of these monuments I have carried out since 1971. In the course of these surveys and my further studies, I have received valuable help from various persons and institutions. It is my pleasant duty to express my gratefulness to them.

Dr. M.S. Mate has supervised my work and guided me in the preparation of this study.

Prof. G.H. Khare, Chairman, Bharata Itihas Samshodhaka Mandala, Poona, has very kindly spared a good deal of time for me, has helped me in the identification of a number of images and has also gone through some of the chapters of the thesis.

Sri R.V. Deshpande, my father and Prof. S.R. Phadnis of the Arts and Commerce College, Wai went through the manuscript and made a number of very valuable suggestions.

Sri J.B. Dixit (Vishvakosh, Wai) prepared the line-drawings included in the thesis and Sri M.L. Singarawadi, Figure Artist, has prepared cyclostyled copies of the same.

Sri Vijay Khadtare my friend of long standing has prepared prints and enlargements included in this thesis.

Literature on the art of Maharashtra of the early medieval period is by no means either voluminous or exhaustive. A few works dealing with the temple architecture exist, but they do not take sufficient notice of the plastic art employed to adorn these structures. Sculpture, as a visual expression of the ideals and concepts of the artists of old, deserves to be studied. In addition, it is important to a student of culture as well, as many concepts and values are expressed through its medium. Its iconographic aspect speaks volumes about the religious life of contemporary society. In short, this is a record in stone of the art, religion and culture of the society that is responsible for its creation. Here it is mainly studied as an expression of art.

**Contents and Sample Pages**