Radha From Gopi to Goddess
Book Specification
Item Code: | NAJ919 |
Author: | Harsha V. Dehejia |
Publisher: | Niyogi Books |
Language: | English |
Edition: | 2014 |
ISBN: | 9789383098064 |
Pages: | 260 (Throughout Color Illustrations) |
Cover: | Hardcover |
Other Details | 12.0 inch x 8.5 inch |
Weight | 1.30 kg |
Book Description
About the Book
In tracing the evolution of Radha from that of a gopi to a goddess one traverses not only a span of several centuries, but travels through cultural divides, political dynastics and philosophical debates. She occupies a space which moves from the aesthetics of shringara Bhakti, from the madhurya of Pushtimarg Vaishnavism to the prema of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, taking in its stride the philosophies of Advaita and Dvaita, the traditions of Shakti and Shakta, she takes us from the devotional poetry of Bhaktikal to the courtly poetry of Ritikal and even beyond to the modern poetry of Adhunikkal.
Radha is both kamini and ramani, desirable and beautiful and through her persona we understand the role of kama or desire in the working of the human mind and especially in the aesthetics of shringara, she is both a gopi and a nayika and through her we feel the presence of Krishna in Vrindavana and the opulence of the vaishnava Rajput courts, she is a even a kalankini or the defiled one and through her we are privy to the folk literature of Bengal and modern middle class psychology of the bhadralok.
Radha: From Gopi to Goddess portrays in poetry and painting, dance and drama, sculpture and icon, strong and stories how Radha occupies a special place in sociology and psychology, aesthetics and theology.
About the Author
Harsha V. Dehejia has a double doctorate, one in medicine and the other in Ancient Indian Culture, both from Mumbai University. He is a practising Physician and professor of Indian Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, ON, Canada. His main interest is in Indian Aesthetics.
A widely respected aesthete and art collector, he has written extensively on Indian art and culture and has seventeen publications to his name including Akriti to Sanskriti: The Journey of Indian Form (Niyogi Books, 2009).
Harsha V. Dehejia leads a group of scholars who present a heart worming picture of Radha in her myriad manifestations.
Contents
Prathama: As We Begin | |
Harsha V Dehejia | 9 |
Looking for Her in Vrindavana | |
Harsba V Dehejia | 15 |
Meeting Her in Narsinh Mehta's Poetry | |
Jawahar Baxi | 23 |
Chitravali From Gujarat: An Early Gita Govinda | |
Ratan Parimoo | 27 |
Her Footsteps in the Gita Govinda | |
Harsha V Dehejia | 37 |
As Mirror to My Hand: The Poems of Vidyapati | |
Harsba V Dehejia | 45 |
An Absent Presence: In Vrindavana | |
Cynthia Packert | 51 |
Her Presence in Mewar Paintings of Sursagar | |
Rita Sodha | 59 |
The Nathadwara Kalam | |
Sonika Soni | 69 |
The Courtly Nayika of Ritikavya | |
Harsha V Dehejia | 75 |
Enjoying God: The Divine Paramour | |
Makarand R. Paranjape | |
The Doe-eyed Nayika of Kishangarh | |
Harsha V Dehejia | 105 |
Echoes in the Mountains | |
Vijay Sharma | 111 |
Come to the Forest Where the Flowers Are Fragrant | |
Harsha V Dehejia | 117 |
What Truths Are Hidden in This Dream | |
H.S. Shiva Prakash | 123 |
Gavlan: Footprints in Marathi Literature | |
Harsha V Dehejia | 129 |
Her Voice in Medieval Odiya Songs | |
Sunil Kothari | 135 |
Her Resonance in Tantra | |
Rebecca J. Manring | 141 |
Impressions in Terracotta Rasamandala in Bishnupur | |
Pika Ghosh | 149 |
Tagore's Bhanusingher Padavali | |
Reba Som | 157 |
Even Today the Same Flute Plays in Vrindavana | |
Sumanta Banerjee | 163 |
The Heartthrob of Chaitanya | |
Harsha V Dehejia | 171 |
Sensuously Southern | |
Stephen Inglis | 177 |
Her Footprints in Tamil Nadu | |
Nanditha Krishna | 181 |
From Vrindavana to Bollywood | |
Heidi Pauioels | 189 |
Hearing Her in Khayal Bandish | |
Snehal N. Muzoomdar | 199 |
Celebrating Her in Thumri | |
Vidya Rao | 205 |
Her Fragrance in Hindi Poetry | |
Narmada Prasad Upadhyaya | 211 |
The Pot Bearer Panghat Lila | |
Bandeep Singh | 217 |
In Homes and Havelis | |
Harsha V Dehejia | 221 |
Ityadi Etc. | |
Harsha V Dehejia | 233 |
Vidai | |
Harsha V Dehejia | 245 |
Our Authors | 249 |
Index | 257 |